


Who Needs Fate When You Have Friends

by yellowcrayonwillow



Category: Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Galentine's Day Exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:34:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29385645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellowcrayonwillow/pseuds/yellowcrayonwillow
Summary: Mac has watched the Logan and Veronica show for two years now. Anyone can see these two are meant for each other if only they could stop being so damn stubborn. Some people believe in fate but sometimes, fate is a friend deciding they are going to force an intervention.
Relationships: Logan Echolls & Veronica Mars, Logan Echolls/Veronica Mars
Comments: 30
Kudos: 54
Collections: VMFF Galentine's Day Gift Exchange





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Oliviet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliviet/gifts).



> This work is gifted to the wonderfully talented Oliviet in honor of Galentine's Day.

“Veronica.” 

The woman in question looks up at the sound of her best gal pal. A worried look creases Mac’s face as she sits down across from her at the food court table.

“Morning Mac. What brings you up and about so early?” Though she really doesn’t feel like it, she forces a smile on her face. Her hand continues to push the food around her plate. 

“Class.” Mac pauses, gazing intently at her friend. There are shadows under Veronica’s eyes, and the smile on her face doesn’t match the despondent look in those shadowed eyes. “Late night?”

Veronica drops her fork, giving up any pretense that she’s going to ingest food. She loves Mac, but she really wanted to be alone with her thoughts right now. _Yes, because watching the Logan and Madison show on an endless loop in my mind is so much better than talking to a friend._ It’s been like this since she found out about Logan’s one-night stand with Mac’s pseudo body swap twin, Madison Sinclair. She confronted Logan about it, but other than to say they’re over again, she hasn’t bothered to say much to her friends. 

“I haven’t been sleeping well.” She shrugs, keeping her voice even. Mac frowns, but doesn’t say anything. Veronica blinks rapidly, trying to keep the tears that have gathered from falling. She takes a deep, shaky breath before forcing another fake smile at her friend. “Nothing a little melatonin and some hot milk can’t remedy.”

Mac nods, turning her attention to the food in front of her. Veronica always seems like she has it together, but right now she seems like she’s hanging on by a thread. _I should ask her about Logan, but she’s made it clear she doesn’t want to talk about what happened between them._ Mac has never been good at the social thing. She’s awkward and prefers her computers to people. They are logical while people are messy. Veronica is probably the first real friend she’s ever made, and she owes her a lot. 

Taking a deep breath, Mac forces herself past her own uncomfortableness to help her friend. “What happened with you and Logan, V?”

Veronica glances at her brunette friend before picking up her fork again, suddenly interested in the food again. She definitely doesn’t want to talk about this. The women sit in silence for a minute before Veronica chances a glance up at her friend. Mac’s gaze is intense as she watches her friend. Veronica can tell she will not let it go. 

Veronica looks down again. “I really don’t want to talk about it.” Her voice is shaky as the images of Logan and Madison assail her again. 

“How am I supposed to be the supportive girlfriend if I don’t even know what he did?” Mac reaches out and puts a hand on Veronica’s arm. It feels awkward, but seems to be the right move when Veronica looks up at her. “If you want me to hate him, I will, but I’d just like to know what I’m hating him for.”

That earns her a laugh, though the bitterness is heavy in it. 

“You don’t have to hate him. What he did...” Veronica falters. “We weren’t even together when it happened.”

Mac’s eyes widen in surprise. She knows her friend can be a judgemental bitch, but this is beyond, even for her. Dumping a guy she’s clearly in love with because of something he did when they weren’t even together? That’s taking trust and intimacy issues a bit too far, even for a jaded cynic like Mac. 

“It must have been pretty bad for you to break up with him over it.” Mac responds cautiously. Veronica snorts. 

“Fucking Madison Sinclair is a deal breaker no matter when it happens.” Her voice is bitter, but the tears Veronica's been trying to hold back spill over when she says the words out loud. Logan slept with Madison Sinclair, the woman she hates above all others. She can’t believe he did it for any other reason than to hurt her. 

Mac’s mouth drops open at Veronica’s confession. She knows Madison is a bitch and she and Veronica have never gotten along, but this level of hatred seems extreme, even for a teenage bully. She swallows past the lump in her throat, unsure what she should say. 

Veronica wipes the tears away as Mac opens and closes her mouth a few times, trying to get her voice to work. She clears her throat, bringing Veronica’s attention back to her. 

“Logan slept with Madison?” Mac can’t say she’s really surprised. She doesn’t know Logan very well since Veronica has a tendency to compartmentalize the people in her life, but she watched him throughout high school. As the king of the 09’ers he was hard to miss and his relationship with Lilly was the topic of a lot of gossip. Even if she didn’t indulge in it herself, it was hard not to hear about their many fights or public breakups. Secretly, Mac had always felt bad for Logan during his relationship with Lilly and the way she seemed to use him at her whim. After Lilly died, though, he was definitely a jackass, and his treatment of Veronica after Lilly’s death was heinous and uncalled for. 

Still, there was something about the brash and cocky teen that spoke to hidden depths of pain. Mac knew her trauma was nowhere near on the scale experienced by Veronica and Logan. The two of them had lived through things she couldn’t even begin to imagine. Both found ways to cope and make it through. Logan finding solace after his breakup with Veronica in meaningless sex seemed about on par with what Mac knew about him. 

Veronica nods, her already petite body seeming to shrink as she pulls into herself. Mac glances at the textbook for Veronica’s next class. Mac took the course last semester. Violence in Early Adolescence wasn’t a class she really wanted to take, but when she chose her fall semester classes, it had called to her. She took it, hoping to understand Cassidy and why he did what he did. She had spent a lot of time over the summer working through her issues with a therapist, but they didn’t really talk about what caused Cassidy to become a monster, focusing on the impact his actions had on her. The class gave her more insight than she probably needed or wanted, but it also gives her a new perspective on her friend. 

Mac watches Veronica pull herself together, the vulnerability she just showed being replaced by the iron-spined will of a girl who refuses to let herself be a victim. Veronica’s philosophy was to get mad and get even. Mac tries to suppress the shudder that runs down her spine as her friend's clear blue eyes become icy. 

“I’ve got to get to class.” Veronica’s voice is even. Except for her slightly red eyes, there is no indication that a few seconds ago, she was a broken-hearted woman crying for the loss of a love. Mac, lost in her own thoughts, gives her a small wave.

Ignoring the fact that she has her own class to head to, Mac sits at the table nursing her coffee, her food forgotten in front of her. Her mind swirling while she processes what Veronica told her. On the one hand, she can see why Veronica’s upset, but on the other even she can see how much Logan loves her. Mac knows he would never do anything to purposefully hurt her friend. She’s less sure of Veronica’s feelings for Logan. Given how upset she is over their breakup, Mac feels it’s safe to say she cares for him. Thinking about what she learned in that class last semester, Mac is almost certain that Veronica loves him too; but is too afraid to let herself go there. There’s a lot of history between the two of them. And, it is that history which was tearing them apart now. 

Wallace finds Mac staring off into space when he and Piz enter the cafeteria. Asking his roommate to grab him some coffee and a breakfast burrito, he makes his way over to Mac. 

“Hey Mac, penny for your thoughts?” He pulls out a chair and sits down next to her. Mac glances at him, startled by his arrival. She recovers quickly and smirks at him.

“My thoughts are worth significantly more than a penny.” 

“Well, I’m a broke college student, so you’ll have to take pity on me. I can’t afford to pay you the going rate.” He smiles brightly, enjoying their banter. He doesn’t know Mac very well, only having hung out with her and Veronica a few times, but she’s pretty cool. “So what’s got you staring off into space? And please don’t tell me it’s boy trouble cause I don’t do girl talk.” 

Wallace makes a face at the thought of having a girly talk, which serves its purpose in making Mac laugh. 

“Not my boy problems, anyway. Things between Bronson and I are fine.’ Wallace wipes his brow in an exaggerated show of relief, pulling another chuckle from Mac. 

“Then can I assume it’s some computer problem that’s stolen your attention and kept you from class this morning.” They might not be the best of friends, but he has an idea of her schedule from Veronica. 

“I wish.” Her voice is wistful and her eyes cloud. “Have you talked to Veronica about how she’s doing since the thing with Logan?”

Of all the things Wallace expected from the sweet computer nerd, this was not one of them. She wasn’t one to talk about their friends, especially not their personal relationships. 

“You know her, she just told me they were over and that was it. I tried to ask, but she just shut down.” Wallace frowns, thinking about how his friend deflected his questions and pretended that it wasn’t a big deal. Wallace isn’t a big fan of Logan’s so he didn’t think too much about it. Veronica is better off without him. She deserved to be with a nice guy like his roommate, Piz. Someone who won’t give her reason to worry constantly. 

Mac sighs heavily, bringing Wallace’s attention back to her. She gazes at him with her clear blue eyes. 

“She’s really hurting. I know she’s trying not to show it, but we both know them breaking up isn’t and has never been on scale with other couples breaking up, Wallace.”

“Vee’s tough. She’ll move past it.” Wallace isn’t blind to his friend, but Veronica has been insistent that she’s fine. 

“He slept with Madison Sinclair.” Mac’s lips screw up as if she’s bitten into something sour. 

“That asshole! I can’t believe he cheated on her!” He really can’t believe it. Logan is a lot of things, but a cheater wasn’t one of them. Despite Veronica’s jealousy and distrust of him, Logan is loyal to a fault. He might flirt, but that was just his default mode. Wallace might not particularly like the guy, but even he could see how Logan looked at Veronica like she was his everything. 

“He didn’t cheat on her. He hooked up with Madison while they were broken up.” Mac shakes her head sadly. “If I had to venture a guess, given his pattern of behavior, there’s a chance he was very drunk and didn’t know what he was doing. And knowing Madison, she would take advantage of the situation, she’s been after him since high school, she never hid that. I’m not excusing what he did, I just don’t think it’s so cut and dry. “ She lets out a heavy sigh. The whole thing is just a mess. 

“Oh.” Wallace isn’t sure what to say. If they were broken up, then why did Veronica dump him over it. He knew she wasn’t a fan of Madison, but it’s not like Logan cheated on her. They were broken up at the time. 

Mac glances over to the cashier line, trying to judge how long they have alone before Piz joins them. She didn’t see Wallace and Piz enter, but she knows the two guys are nearly inseparable these days. Piz is still about six people back, so they have some time based on how slow the line is moving. 

“Do you know why Veronica hates Madison so much? I mean, I know she’s a bitch, but Veronica made it seem like Logan’s hook up with Madison is a personal affront.” 

Wallace squirms uncomfortably. He really doesn’t like to gossip about his friend, but Mac seems really concerned about Veronica. Learning the truth about their breakup, Wallace can now understand why she’s been more closed off than normal lately. Veronica has a lot of issues because of that night at Shelly Pomeroy’s party, and one of the ways she copes is by making Madison into her scapegoat. Wallace is sure that is how she is able to get past Logan’s part in that horrific night. It didn’t matter to Veronica that Madison was a victim in the whole thing. Veronica just focuses on how she was the one to hand her the cup and then spray painted her car. 

Mac is still gazing at him. “What do you know about what happened at Shelly Pomeroy’s party?” If Mac isn’t aware of what happened to their mutual friend, Wallace isn’t going to be the one to tell her. That was Veronica’s business, and he would never share her secrets. 

“I know someone drugged and raped Veronica..” Her voice is flat, like she’s describing the weather. 

“Are you aware Madison is the one who gave Veronica the cup with the drugs in it?” Wallace tries to keep his voice smooth. He still feels a flush of rage every time he thinks of what happened to his best friend. He knows the people responsible are long gone, but he wishes he could hurt them for what they did. 

“What?!” Mac’s eyes widen and her mouth works silently for a moment before she can get the words out. “Madison roofied her?” 

That was beyond cruel, even for a mean girl like Madison Sinclair. She was a vicious bitch, but Mac couldn’t see her deliberately drugging someone no matter how much she hated them. 

Wallace shakes his head. “Someone put the GHB in Madison’s cup and Veronica was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Madison didn’t know it was in there when she gave it to Veronica. She just thought she was giving her a ‘trip to the dentist’.” Wallace uses air quotes and frowns in disgust over Madison’s juvenile prank. 

“A trip to the dentist?” Mac’s brow furrows in confusion.

“Yeah, apparently when Madison doesn’t like someone she likes to spit in a drink and give it to them. That’s what she thought she was doing to Veronica.” Mac’s nose wrinkles, lips curling, and Wallace can’t help the chuckle that escapes his lips. This topic isn’t a laughing matter, but Mac’s face is priceless. 

“That’s disgusting. But it doesn’t make Madison responsible for what happened. If anything, it makes her almost as much a victim as Veronica.” 

“Preaching to the choir. I think Veronica needs someone to blame and Madison is such a heinous bitch who always tormented her more than the others and so she was the natural choice.” Wallace shakes his sadly. He agrees Madison isn’t at fault, but he can understand Veronica’s dislike of her. 

The two friends sit in silence for a few seconds. Mac notices Piz headed their way.

Her words rush out, trying to get them out before the floppy-haired idiot joins them. _I don’t know why Wallace likes him so much. He’s spent the past semester drooling over Veronica and he may think he’s being sneaky with his sabotage attempts of her relationship with Logan, but he’s fairly obvious. Why hasn’t Wallace said something to him?_ “I don’t think Veronica is okay, and while I haven’t talked to Logan, I doubt he’s okay either. The two of them have some weird connection, and I don’t think they can even be okay without the other. She’s being unreasonable and destroying something that obviously means a lot to her. We need to do something.”

Wallace’s mouth opens in shock. Mac isn’t the type to get involved in the intrigues or love lives of friends. Besides, Veronica would probably kill them if they tried to interfere. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Veronica says she’s done with him.”

“Wallace, you’re never done with those you love. Never.” Her voice is firm and Wallace notices the unshed tears in her eyes. He’s saved from a response by Piz landing heavily in the chair beside him.

“That took forever, but I got the goods.” Piz smiles goofily at his roommate and Mac while handing food out. Mac gives him a tight smile before gathering up her things. 

“I’ve got to go. Wallace, think about what I said.” Mac turns and leaves the cafeteria. She can hear Piz talking as she walks away. 

“So is it true Veronica and Logan are really over this time?” 

While she has never advocated violence, she feels her hand clench into a fist and feels like punching the ass.


	2. Chapter 2

When Mac joins her friends for lunch the next day, sitting in the empty seat between Veronica and Parker, she notices Logan and Dick coming in through the main doors. Veronica is in deep discussion with Piz about a class they share, both of their heads bent over the textbook in front of them. Veronica continues her conversation, but Mac notices a sudden stiffening to her spine, as if she’s aware Logan is nearby, but she won’t allow herself to look for him. Veronica pauses to take a bite of food, but doesn’t look up. 

It’s strange, Mac hasn’t seen Logan in a few days and she takes the opportunity while he’s focused on something Dick is saying to study him. To the outward observer, he looks good, clean, and handsome as ever. There’s no mark of the broken heart, she's sure he’s suffering. Of course Logan is the son of actors and given the little she knows of his past, he’s probably a fair actor himself when he needs to be. 

Loga laughs half-heartedly at something Dick says before finally taking stock of the room. His gaze immediately zeros in on Veronica, the smile on his face fading. From across the room, Mac watches while his chocolate brown eyes gaze longingly at her best friend. Dick’s still talking, but Logan’s attention is elsewhere. It takes the blonde surfer a few seconds to realize his friend isn’t paying attention any longer, but when he does, his gaze follows the direction of Logan’s eyes. Unlike his lovesick friend, he scowls when he sees Veronica. 

Dick and Mac’s gaze meet for a second, and Dick’s scowl softens. Logan has already taken a step forward towards the group at the table, but Dick grabs his arm. Logan blinks and looks down at the hand on his arm in surprise. Dick whispers something to him and Logan shakes his head, casting one last longing glance at Veronica before turning on his heel and walking out of the food court. Only the clenching of his hand into a fist at his side gives away his pain.. 

Dick follows his friend quickly as Veronica’s head shoots up, her eyes roving wildly around the room. When she doesn’t see what she’s looking for, she shudders slightly and her eyes downturn, but you wouldn’t notice it if you weren’t watching her. Then Veronica goes back to her discussion, a decidedly sad look on her face. _It’s like she knew he was near and felt when he left._

Mac turns to Wallace and raises an eyebrow. He shrugs, still not willing to get involved in his best friend’s love life. She says she is fine, and he is taking her word for it. She would know what she needed more than he did. Except that sometimes his friend was too stubborn and too judgemental. He knows she loves her friends, and she is a marshmallow underneath all that badassery. 

The gang finishes their lunch, keeping the topics light. Veronica is still working the Dean’s suicide case, but she’s not being overly chatty about it, which usually means she’s working some theories in her head. Wallace complains about his coach and tells them about the big blowout the coach and his son had after practice the other day. Mac tunes out Piz’s excited chatter about his radio show, as she watches Veronica paste a fake ass smile on her face as he rambles. 

“Do I have something on my face?” Mac startles when Veronica’s voice whispers in her ear suddenly. 

“What, no. Why?” Mac’s words stumble out. 

“Because you keep staring at me. I thought maybe I have something stuck between my teeth and you’re trying to get my attention to tell me about it.” Veronica smiles a real smile this time, clearly loving the fact that she caught Mac off guard.

“No, just thinking about some stuff. Kind of in my own Mac world right now.” She smiles back at her friend. 

Veronica nods, but doesn’t press for more details. 

“I’d better get to moseying before I’m late for Landry’s class. Don’t want to give that kiss-ass Foyle a reason to mark me down for anything.” Veronica grabs her books, shoving back from the table. “I’ll catch you guys on the flip side.” 

Piz jumps up when Veronica does, shoving his stuff haphazardly into his bookbag.

“Hey, Veronica, wait up. I’ll walk with you.” Piz yells to Veronica, waving a quick goodbye to the rest of them. Veronica pauses at the door, a look of annoyance flashing across her face and then gone in an instant, waiting for the eager puppy to catch up and the two of them walk towards her class. 

“And then there were three.” Wallace closes the textbook he was looking at with a heavy sigh. His engineering class is kicking his ass. “I’ve got to head for a tutoring session so I’ll leave you lovely ladies to enjoy the rest of your afternoon.” 

He gives a mock salute as he walks around the table towards the exit. Mac glances at the time on her phone, her eyes widening when she realizes how late it’s gotten.

“We should get going too, or we’ll be late.” Mac picks up her own textbook and walks out with Parker. 

Logan is waiting outside her classroom door, leaning against the wall, when she arrives with Parker in tow. Thankfully, Mac is actually a few minutes early because as soon as Logan sees her, his spine straightens and his eyes zero in on her. He shoves his hands in his pockets while he approaches her.

“Mac. Just the woman I was looking for. I’m in a bind and I need your help.” Logan bounces on his heels, his nervous energy making Mac feel slightly seasick. The man is a bundle of nerves. 

“I’m not sure what you need my help for, but sure, what’s up?” Mac smiles at him, trying to put him at ease. The two of them are not close, so she can’t imagine what he would need her for. 

“I have this presentation for a class and I need some computer help with it. I know what I want to do, but I can’t seem to make it work.” His smile turns sheepish and his right hand pulls from his pocket, moving up to rub on the back of his neck. 

Mac smiles at him again. She’s not attracted to Logan sexually, but she finds him endearing in a way and thinks they could even be friends. “Oh,yeah, I can help you with that.” She points to the classroom. “Ummm, when do you need said help cause I’ve kind of got class for the next hour.”

“Oh, yeah, no, I’ve got a few days before it’s due. Maybe you could come by the suite tomorrow night and we could work on it?” Having secured her promise of help, Logan seems to calm down slightly and stands up straighter. 

“Load up on red bull and red vines and you’ve got yourself a deal.” Mac smiles at him and he graces her with one of his shy smiles. 

“Anything the lady requires.” His smile changes into his signature smirk and Mac laughs. 

“I’ll see you around 7?” Logan nods.

“Thanks Mac. I really appreciate it.” 

“No problem. But now, class.” Mac gives him a little finger wave before turning to head into her classroom. 

“Bye, Logan.” A perky voice sounds from behind her and Mac turns her head. Parker has stepped in front of Logan, trying to capture his attention before she follows Mac into class. 

Logan looks at Parker, his widening in surprise as if he didn’t realize she was there until just now. “Oh, hey Parker. How’s it going?”

“I’m good.” The tall blonde gives him a bright smile, flipping her hair over her shoulder. 

“Umm, that’s good. Well, I’ve got to go.” Logan stutters a bit and stepping back, looking a little guarded, before glancing over at Mac. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mac. Later, Parker.” 

He saunters down the hallway. Mac, still standing in the doorway to her class, watches as Parker follows his progress down the hall, a dreamy look on her face. Mac’s mouth twists in a grimace. _Uh-oh, this could be trouble._

Class saves Mac from any further conversation and she pulls out her laptop to take notes. She can feel the excitement coming off of Parker as she sits next to her in class. When they finish, Parker drags Mac back to the food court for some afternoon coffee and studying. Content for now to go along to get along, Mac follows her boisterous roommate and takes a seat at the same table they were at a few hours before for lunch. 

Mac sighs as Parker immediately chatters. _As if I don’t have to hear enough from her in our room. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t told her to stay._ Mac frowns at her own dark thoughts, chastising herself for the unkind mental words against a girl who has done nothing wrong. It’s not Parker’s fault that she and Mac have such different personalities. 

“You don’t agree?” Parker asks her roommate when she notices Mac’s frown.

“I’m sorry what? I got lost in my head there for a second, but I’m back.” She smiles at the perky blonde, trying to make up for her mean thoughts from a moment before. 

“I said that Logan looked fantastic earlier, completely fine. I was thinking he might be a good fourth for our group on that Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt. What do you think?” Parker’s eyes are wide and innocent. _Why do I suddenly feel like she’s an evil mastermind honing in on my best friend’s, her supposed friend’s, ex? Doesn’t this woman know anything about the girl code? Logan is off limits to her._

Mac tries to keep her face blank and her tone neutral as she answers Parker.

“Umm, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. It’s supposed to be for couples.” 

“Well, I’m not dating anyone and he’s not dating anyone. So why shouldn’t we have some fun together?” Parker huffs slightly, annoyed at her roommate who doesn’t seem to be getting on board with this idea. 

“He and Veronica just broke up. I doubt it would be his type of thing, anyway.” Mac can feel a rage bubbling in her. Parker comes across as this nice, if a bit of a flighty, girl, but can she really be that oblivious to the fact that Logan is Veronica’s? 

“Well, we won’t know unless we ask him. Besides, it's not like I’m asking to marry him or anything. It’s just a friend thing. If it happens to turn into something more, so be it. I mean, he is hot and single.” Parker tosses her hair over her shoulder, lifting her chin before grabbing her books. 

In the interest of a peaceful life, one that doesn’t include fighting with her roommate, Mac attempts to gently dissuade Parker from her thoughts on Logan. 

“I just don’t know that he’s really over Veronica. The two of them; they have something special. I don’t claim to understand it, but they’re more themselves when they’re together. I know they broke up, but they keep coming back to each other. I know you didn’t know them in high school but this- well this isn’t their first breakup. They always find they’re way back to one another.” 

Parker glares at her and Mac can feel her face flush. She’s not much for the romantic, but what she said about Logan and Veronica is the truth. The two of them are just meant for one another. 

She’s never seen anyone make either of them come alive like they do when they are together or even near each other. Even when Logan was dating Lilly, it was Veronica who got his brightest smiles. Duncan never made Veronica laugh the way Logan did. If she hadn’t known about the public Fab 4 relationships, she would have thought Logan and Veronica were the real couple. When Logan’s tongue wasn’t shoved down Lilly’s throat, it was Veronica he was whispering with, teasing to make her smile, and protective over. 

After Lilly’s death and Logan’s ultimatum to Veronica, he still couldn’t stay away. Mac had watched him, and he watched Veronica like a hawk. She caught him staring longingly at her like he did earlier today a few times back then. Even when they were supposed to have hated one another, they were the center of one another’s orbits.There was no way Parker would ever be anything but a rebound for Logan. 

“Whatever Mac. I’m going to ask him. If he’s not interested, fine, but I think he’ll like what I’m offering.” Parker gestures to her tall, slender body. Size wise, perhaps she’s a better match for Logan, but Mac has crossed over from concerned to pissed. _I can’t believe she would do this to Veronica. I thought she cared about being her friend. And after Veronica put herself in danger to find her rapist._

Her rage spilled over at the blatant disregard for her best friend’s feelings, Mac’s voice comes as a low hiss when she addresses Parker. “Don’t you do this to Veronica. She’s been a friend to you and you say she is your friend. Most importantly, she loves Logan and he loves her.”

“Mac, she dumped him. She’s over him. She’s not going to care if I make a pass at him. From the way she talks about him, I don’t think she really ever cared at all.”

“What do you mean the way she talks about him? She doesn’t talk about him. That’s how Veronica is. The more she cares, the less she says, and Logan’s practically a forbidden subject. She more than cares about him, she’s in love with him. She might be mad now, but eventually she’s going to see that her breaking up with him was stupid and she’s going to want him back.” 

Parker snorts, but Mac is on a roll defending her friend. “And mark my words, the second she crooks her finger at Logan Echolls, he’s going to dump whatever bleach blond slut he’s using for physical release and run back to the woman he loves.”

Parker’s face turns a dark shade of red, her mouth opening and closing. Finally, she just mutters “whatever” before flouncing off. Mac sits at the table, surprised at her outspokenness. She tries to remain Switzerland at all times, but Parker is being a total bitch. There was no way Mac is going to let her do that to Veronica. While her petite friend might try to fool herself now that she is over Logan, Mac knows how she truly feels, even if she never said the words. 

This is bad, this is very bad. Pulling out her cell phone, she hits four on her speed dial, waiting anxiously for the person on the other end to pick up.

“Hey, what’s up?” Wallace's voice sounds tired.

“I need to talk to you. Are you in your room?” Mac glances about anxiously, making sure no one she knows is around. It wouldn’t take much to get Veronica’s curiosity up, since Wallace and Mac didn’t typically hang out without her. 

“Yes, but I think it would be better if we met. Things aren’t the best here right now.” Wallace’s heavy sigh travels across the phone line. 

“Sure, why don’t you meet me at my car and we can go somewhere off campus, maybe the hut?” She and Parker were supposed to get coffee, but the blonde had started in about Logan before Mac could get her afternoon jolt. A trip to Java Hut sounded very appealing. 

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll meet you there in 10.” 

“See you then.” Mac hangs up the phone and checks her bag for her car keys. Since she lives on campus, she doesn’t use her prized lime green beetle very often. Finding her keys at the bottom of her bag, she heaves a sigh of relief. She’s pretty sure that Parker went back to their room, and there was no way she wants another confrontation with the perky blonde right now. 

Wallace is leaning against the passenger side door when Mac arrives. He stands up straight as she unlocks the car with her fob. Wallace gets in with a quick hi, pulling his seatbelt around him.

“Java Hut okay with you?” Mac asks, glancing behind her while backing up. 

“Yeah, a good cup of coffee is just what the doctor ordered.” Wallace grimaces and he rubs his temples, fending off a headache. 

“Rough day?” Mac glances at him before focusing on the road. He seems stressed out, completely different from when she saw him a few hours before. 

“You could say that. Piz was already in the room when I got back from class, and he was waxing poetic about Veronica. I guess he’s decided now’s the perfect time to make his move.” Wallace uses air quotes around the word ‘move’, his brow furrowing as he frowned. He clearly isn’t a fan of the idea. Mac’s lips turn down as she processes the information. _Were they both just complete morons?_

“Seems to be the day to move in on friend’s ex’s.” Mac’s voice is low and rumbly with irritation. 

“Oh?” Wallace raises an eyebrow when Mac glances at him. “Do tell.”

“Apparently, Parker has it in her head that Logan is hot and since she’s hot, it only makes sense for them to be together.” That wasn’t quite how she put it. But Mac is tired of pussyfooting around. She’s been on the sidelines of the Veronica and Logan show too many times now, and she’s tired of watching them mess it up. She’s tired of watching them suffer and hurt because of pride and stubbornness.

They pull into a parking space in front of Java Hut, both contemplating what the other told them. Mac secures them a table in the back, ensuring them privacy while giving a clear view of anyone approaching the table. Habits learned from Veronica. Wallace goes to the counter to order them a couple of coffees before joining Mac at the table. 

“So our perfectly nice roommates want to come in between the most insane and vengeful couple since Bonnie and Clyde?” Wallace places Mac’s coffee down in front of her, sitting heavily in the chair. 

“Or Mickey and Mallory. Though to be fair, they’re not as homicidal as those couples.” Mac chuckles at the comparison. 

“True, though there’s no doubt in my mind that both of them would kill for the other if needed.” Wallace runs a hand over his hair. “I think you’re right. We can’t keep letting them be stupid about things. I’m not Logan’s biggest fan, but even I can tell that Vee is happiest when she’s with him.”

“She really is, and he’s like a lost puppy without her. They need each other.” Mac swallows over the lump suddenly in her throat as she thinks about the love her two friends share. While she likes her current boyfriend, Bronson, she’s never felt that level of passion and love for someone else. Sometimes she doubts she ever will. 

“And we need to keep our mostly innocent roommates out of the crossfire.” Wallace continues, not noticing the sudden change in Mac’s mood. 

“Yes, though I’m beginning to doubt how innocent either of them really are. You should have heard Parker. It was like she didn’t even care if she hurt Veronica.” Mac shakes her head, frowning at the way Parker was being selfish. All she saw was a hot guy, nevermind that she was her friend’s ex. 

“I know what you mean. I thought Piz was this nice guy, but he has zero respect for Veronica and Logan’s relationship, even when they were dating. Did you know he invited her out bowling as a date?” Mac’s mouth drops open at his audacity.

“Didn’t Veronica invite Logan along to that little outing? I thought that was where Parker met Piz and Logan.” Wallace nods. 

“Yeah, he pretended it was supposed to be a group thing, but he was really trying to get her alone. He was not a happy camper when Logan showed up. After he got home that night, he kept talking about what a caveman Logan was, practically peeing around Veronica to mark his territory.”

The two friends lapse into silence for a few minutes, each caught up in thoughts of their roommate's un-Neptune like ways. At least the people of Neptune were in your face about their evil. These two pretended to be nice people while trying to inflict damage. 

“So what are we going to do?” Mac breaks the silence, looking expectantly at Wallace. 

“I don’t know. They’re both so stubborn, and Veronica is really pissed at him this time. I tried to talk to her about it, but she shut down again. I think the part of her that’s mad about Madison is fading, but she seemed really pissed that Logan didn’t even try to contact her.” Wallace shrugs, not understanding the female mind. 

“What makes you say that?” Mac frowns at this new piece of information.

“I asked her if she was okay, which of course she told me she was. I said it was okay to be mad at Logan for having slept with someone, but they were broken up at the time. She made a comment about Logan not even trying to fix it.” 

Mac gazes at her coffee. _Did Logan really not even try to make up with her_? She had heard Veronica’s side of the story, how she confronted him about sleeping with Madison, and he didn’t deny it. Veronica told him she could never get past it. _Was Logan’s self-esteem so low that he couldn't even fight for the woman he loved?_

Mac inhales deeply, letting her breath out slowly. A plan is forming in her mind. Logan and Veronica have been through so much the past few years. More pain has been felt by the two of them than most people experience in a lifetime. Both of them were stubborn and never learned how to communicate. Veronica thought showing her emotions made her weak, opened her up to attacks. She was still trying to discover her sexuality, and Logan’s past intimidated her. Veronica didn’t like to feel weak or out of control, and love made you feel both. 

Logan wore his heart on his sleeve, but he was defensive and he had scars, Mac couldn’t even begin to understand. After watching him with Lilly, it made sense that he would think he wasn’t worthy of a girl like Veronica. She could see how he would take her words at face value, not even bothering to fight for her, because he never thought she should be with someone like him in the first place. 

She and Wallace needed to make the two stubborn asses own up to their issues and insecurities. Mac smiled at Wallace and he shuddered at the mischief in that smile. 

“What are you thinking Mac?”

“I’m thinking it’s time we staged an intervention before our friends ruin more lives.”


	3. Chapter 3

It doesn’t take long for Mac to get Wallace around to her way of thinking. At first he argued her plan was a bit too extreme, but when pressed, he doesn’t have a better idea. 

“How in the hell are we going to get this over Veronica? She’s always one step ahead of all of us.” Wallace frowns, pointing out the biggest flaw in Mac’s plan.

“That’s because she’s never matched wits with me.. She’s my friend, and I usually only use my genius to support her. I’m still doing that, but right now the enemy is Veronica herself.” Mac’s smiles wickedly confident. 

Wallace suppresses a shudder at the evil genius being unveiled before him. 

“Look, Wallace, I’m not saying the plan is without its flaws, but rather than trying to tear it down, help me figure out how to fix it. Or come up with a better one.” Mac taps her fingers against the table, irritation clear.

“I’m trying, it’s just hard to ignore the fact that if this doesn’t go how we hope it will, we’ll not only have a pissed off Logan ready to kill us, but, and this is the more important piece, a pissed off Veronica.” Logan is scary in his own way with his seeming lack of value for his own life and willingness to jump into any situation no matter how dangerous. However, Veronica was the one to truly be afraid of. What the woman lacked in size, she more than made up for in vengeance. 

“So we make sure it ends how we want it to.” Mac sips her now cold coffee. The plan was simple. They’d get Logan and Veronica in the same place at the same time and force them to work things out. There are bound to be bumps along the way since the two of them were both pigheaded and Veronica rarely admits when she is in the wrong. But Mac is confident that if they are forced together for an extended period of time without buffers or distractions or the ability to run away in Veronica’s case, they could finally really communicate. 

The trick is going to be getting them there and together. Logan and Veronica are both suspicious people by nature and are constantly looking for the trap. Near as Mac could tell, their one weakness besides their violently passionate feelings for each other, is the underestimation of their own friends. 

“We’ll need help.” Wallace states the obvious, and Mac barely restrains herself from rolling her eyes at him. 

“I can probably get Weevil to help, with the right motivation.” Mac sighs, thinking about the motivation that she’s probably going to have to offer. Weevil has no reason to want to help Logan get Veronica back since he absolutely hates the guy. If he knows the truth of what they’re doing, he’ll probably run tattling to Veronica in a heartbeat. Thankfully, he’s one more who just sees Mac as Veronica’s computer nerdy friend. _They always underestimate the quiet ones._

“So to go over this master plan again. You want to lure Veronica to your parents' storage unit and lock her inside. Then, you want to trick Logan into trying to rescue Veronica because as you put it, he will drop everything and rush to her side if he thinks she’s in danger. Finally, you want to lock him inside with Veronica and leave them there until they either kill each other or work shit out.” Wallace sighs, trying desperately not to point out the problems he sees and earn himself another glare from the diminutive brunette. 

“In a nutshell, yes. The storage unit has everything they could need for a few days thanks to my mother’s obsession with doomsday planning or as she likes to call it, Costco deals.” Mac makes air quotes while screwing her face up in distaste. 

“Is the food vegan cause last I checked both Logan and Veronica were straight up carnivores.” Wallace isn’t really sure what Mac’s family is like, never having met them. He certainly didn’t know about the whole baby swap thing with Madison. He just knew that Mac didn’t always fit in with her family. 

“They’ll be fine. There may be some vegan snacks in there since Mom likes to keep them on hand for me, but most of the stuff will be fine for the slavering carnivores. The storage unit is where my parents keep all of our camping stuff when it's not in use, so there’s a camp stove, plates, cups, etc. All the comforts of home.”

“Have either of them ever been camping? I can’t really see Logan being the roughing it type.” Wallace chuckles at the image of Logan Echolls, with his perfectly coiffed hair and manicured fingernails, trying to build a fire. 

“The roughing it portion of our camping went the way of my dad’s bad back. There’s even a memory foam mattress and frame in there for when they inevitably try to work out their problems without talking.” Mac laughs at the look of distaste on Wallace’s face.

“TMI, girl. Vee’s like my sister, I don’t want to think about her and Echolls getting it on. I’ve had to witness enough PDA from them as it is.” He frowns. The whole point of this is to get them to talk, not give them an excuse to go at it like rabbits and pretend like their problems don’t exist. That’s what they’d been doing for the past few months and look where it got them. 

“Well, I think it’s very likely that they’ll try the non-verbal route before they even think about actually talking to one another.” Mac is not fazed by the idea of her friends having sex. They’re both attractive, young, healthy people who love one another. 

“How will we know that they’ve actually talked? I mean, we can’t just leave them in there forever. Mr. Mars will be freaking out as it is when Vee doesn’t come home.” Both shudder at the thought of Keith Mars’ reaction to his daughter disappearing for a few days. The man is overprotective of his adult daughter to a point where it’s questionable she’ll ever get a chance to live a truly adult life. Of course, his influence on Veronica is part of the problem. He’s never accepted Logan as her boyfriend, always putting him down and holding his past against him. 

“Mr. Mars may be the easiest part of the plan. Now that Logan and Veronica are split, he won’t question if I ask to bring her on a family camping trip for the long weekend. He’ll probably be glad for her to get out of town and away from any chance of getting back with Logan.” Mac likes Keith, but he really needs to lighten up the reigns. She sighs. _One problem at a time._

“And how will you keep him from telling her about this fictitious trip?” Wallace raises an eyebrow at her.

“Who says I need to? I’m sure I can convince Veronica to join me on this weekend trip. She’s almost as desperate as her father to keep away from Neptune for a little bit and out of the temptation that is Logan Echolls.” Mac leans back and smirks at the dumbfounded look on his face. 

“So you’re going to invite her along, lure her to the storage unit, lock her in. Then what? How are you going to keep her from calling someone to let her out? And we still haven’t addressed how we’ll know if our plan succeeded. Last time I checked, storage units weren’t exactly sound proof and someone will hear them rattling the door.” Mac exhales sharply in frustration. Wallace was so insistent on finding fault with this plan. He agreed on premise, but he isn’t putting his ass on the line unless there was a clear line to success. 

“The storage unit is a standalone thing, set far back from the others. It has electricity and is sound proof. My dad bought it off of some wannabe rocker deputy when the normal storage units weren’t big enough or well enough equipped for all of his precious camping gear.” Mac’s father took his communion with nature very seriously. It was practically a religion to him. 

She holds up a hand, forestalling Wallace’s next complaints. “As for the cell phones, I’m going to stop by later today to make sure everything is in order and place a cell jammer and a few bugs. I’m thinking we’ll stick with audio because video will probably get icky quickly.” 

Wallace nods. Mac has definitely given this some thought. He can’t find another problem with the plan, as is. That doesn’t give him the feeling of confidence that he’d like, but it’s something. Of course, in his experience, even the best laid plans have the potential to go horribly wrong. Hopefully, all the tricks they’ve learned from Vee, herself, will enable them to overcome any obstacles in their way. 

“Shit.” Mac gasps and Wallace glances behind him, sure they’ve been caught. “I just thought about Dick.”

“Please, never say that again.” Wallace glowers at his friend.

“I meant Casablancas. Logan may not have any family who would come looking for him if he goes missing, but I can guarantee Dick will search.” The blonde surfer is an idiot, but he is loyal to a fault and Logan is his best friend, practically his brother. There was no way he wouldn’t notice if he didn’t come home or he couldn’t text him. 

“Can’t we just dangle something shiny to keep him distracted?” Wallace’s opinion of the older Casablanca’s brother’s intelligence is clearly not very high. 

“He’s not a cat who can be distracted by laser beams. He’s smarter than he lets on.” Mac frowns, trying to work out a solution to their Dick problem. 

“Okay, but what if Logan left a note? It’s not that unusual for Logan to take a trip somewhere to clear his head.” Wallace offers the suggestion with a simple shrug. 

“That might work. But don’t the two of them usually travel together?” Mac can’t see Dick letting Logan too far out of his sight right now. Logan is known to be at his most self-destructive when he and Veronica were on the outs. 

“Yeah, shit.” Wallace mutters. “Look, I’ll grab us some fresh coffees while you use that big brain of yours to come up with a solution.”

Wallace picks up their empty mugs and heads to the counter for refills. Mac watches him go, quietly contemplating how to take Dick out of the equation. Telling him what they’re doing is out because he seems to hate Veronica. Mac’s not sure if the reason for his hatred stems from high school stupidity or concern for his friend. Either way, he will not be on board with getting them back together. 

Wallace returns, a bright smile, gracing his face when he returns with their coffees. He plunks Mac’s down in front of her. In the time he’s been gone, nothing has come to Mac on how to deal with Dick. 

“I’ve got an idea.” Wallace's smile gets even bigger when he notices the contemplative frown on her face. 

“Well, thank God, cause I sure as hell haven’t gotten anywhere.” Mac sighs heavily, prepared to shoot down his idea. 

“I saw a flyer for a Pi Sig Booze Cruise for this weekend, Dick will not want to miss something like that, which means we just have to keep Logan from going. Dropping the hint that Madison is going is sure to guarantee that Logan bows out. You can fake an email to him from the bitch.” Mac slowly smiles while working the idea over in her head. It’s the perfect solution.

“That’s awesome! I can gen up an appropriately Madison sounding email that will leave Logan refusing to attend. It’ll totally work.” Mac holds up her hand to Wallace for a high five, which he gladly gives her. 

“So now that the buffoon is taken care of, I guess we’re just about ready to make this plan a reality.’ Both swallow audibly, a shiver of fear at what they’re about to do.

“Well, if it saves us some lives ruined, and bloodshed, I guess we must do what we must.” Mac tries to sound more confident than she feels. It’s the right thing, she just hopes Veronica doesn’t kill them for it.


	4. Chapter 4

Clapping his hands, Wallace’s voice boomed. “Alright, let’s get this show on the road. No time like the present. The early bird catches the worm.” Wallace’s face heats as he realizes what he’s saying. Mac is staring at him wide eyed, her mouth ajar. “Sorry, I spent the evening with my mom last night. She’s got a million of them. They stick in your head.”

Mac nods, trying to suppress the giggles bubbling up inside her. Wallace is Veronica’s BFF and likes to pretend he has street cred, but he’s really a nice momma’s boy at the end of the day. He was the counterpoint to Veronica’s badassness. Looking at the watch on her wrist, she checks the time. It’s almost six, and she needs to get some studying done before she calls an end to this amazingly long day. 

“Okay, what first?” 

“I think we secure Vee first because if she’s not going to be available, we’ll need to figure something else out.” Mac pulls her phone to her hitting speed dial number 2. Wallace watches intently while she waits for Veronica to answer. 

“Q, what’s up?” Veronica’s voice sounds breathless, like she’s been running.

“Bond, not much going on here, though I was hoping to run something by you, if you’re not too busy.” Veronica’s breathing is still labored, and Mac worries about what she’s caught her in the middle of. It’s not like Veronica is the running type, unless she’s running away from bad guys.

Veronica takes a deep breath, air flowing to her lungs easier, and she pauses on the beach where she has in fact been running. Anything to keep thoughts of Logan out of her head. _More like thoughts of Logan and Madison out of my head._ She takes another lungful of air refocusing on her friend still awaiting a reply.

“No, not busy, I just finished a run on the beach. What do you need?” Veronica can just imagine the look of incredulity on her friend’s face. Veronica Mars is not known for the exercise. She leaves that to her boyfriend, sorry, ex-boyfriend, who finds it therapeutic. 

“Since when do you run, Veronica?” Mac’s voice is low and confused. 

_Since the love of my life fucked my arch-nemesis._ There was a time when Logan was that person, but he did everything he could to redeem himself, to pull himself up from the hell he was raised in. He wasn’t all the way there yet, but he was definitely on the right path. A path that Veronica thought they’d travel together, each healing the other little by little. Instead, he had to fuck Madison.

“It’s new.” Veronica admits, shrugging even though she knows Mac can’t see her. “So what’s on your mind?” She doesn’t want to discuss her new exercise habits or the reasons behind them. She’s trying to forget it all, but her stupid heart and mind won’t let her. _Can’t forgive Logan for what he did, but can’t walk away from him just yet either._

Mac sighs, knowing Veronica’s evasive techniques well. If she doesn’t want to talk about her feelings, she won’t. “My parents want me to go camping this weekend, which you _know_ how much I love. It’s just that my mom was laying on the guilt pretty thickly about how I’m going to school in town but they never see me so I ended up saying yes. You’ve got to join me and keep me from losing my mind.” The words come out rushed. But Mac figures it will lend credence to her desperate lie. _I’m only doing this for her own good._

Wallace is still watching, but Mac knows how to seal this deal, she’s just not ready to out herself in front of him. She holds up her coffee cup, silently asking him for a refill. He huffs and rolls his eyes, but grabs the cup to get her some more coffee. 

“Camping, me? It’s like you don’t know me at all, Q.” Veronica laughs at the idea of herself in the wilderness. She’s never been much of the outdoorsy type girl for all that she played soccer when she was younger. She chalks it up to her formative years being spent in mansions and limos with the Kanes and Logan. 

“It’s no crazier than me out in the wilderness with no wi-fi. Please Bond, I really need you. My mom knows I know about the baby swap thing and I need a buffer.” Mac’s voice is almost a whisper, her eyes darting furtively to ensure no one is listening to her conversation. These are not topics she normally discussed in public. She’s not lying exactly, her mom does know she knows, but they’ve already had a lovely mother-daughter discussion in which she assured her mom that she was still her mom. It probably helped that Mac had learned the news from Veronica several years before. 

Veronica pauses. She wants to be a good friend, and it would be nice to get away from certain memories. Maybe if she wasn’t around all the places they used to be together, the pain would lessen and she could finally get some sleep. She hasn’t slept more than an hour or two since Madison confronted her in the lingerie store. 

Letting out the breath she didn’t know she was holding, Veronica finally agrees. “Crazier things have happened then me entering the woods. I guess you can count me in. I’ll have to let my dad know.”

Wallace has returned with the cup of coffee and Mac gives him a grateful smile and a thumbs up. He smiles back at her, pleased that Phase 1 of the plan is working out. “Thanks. I really appreciate it. So my parents want to get an early start on Friday morning. Since my dad has to work and I don’t have any afternoon classes, I said I’d pick up the gear from their storage unit tomorrow afternoon. Why don’t you come along with me and then spend the night at my place?”

Mac crosses her fingers, hoping that Veronica won’t see through her lies, and lets out a shaky breath when Veronica agrees to meet her on campus after her last class tomorrow. The two women will drive over together to get the gear before going to Mac’s parents' house. They say their goodbyes until the next day.

When Mac hangs up the phone, Wallace holds up his hand for another high five. Mac looks at it disdainfully.

“Yeah, we’re not making that a habit.” Wallace simply laughs. 

Mac opens up her laptop and sets to work on hacking into Madison Sinclair’s personal email. She’s not sure if Logan actually knows the she-bitches e-mail, but she’s not taking any chances. This has to be as close to authentic as possible. Logan hadn’t mentioned going away for the weekend on some booze cruise, but it’s not like Mac was the person he’d confide that sort of thing to. 

All she has to rely on is her knowledge of the man and how he seems to handle extreme sadness. It seems like a safe bet Dick will convince him that the best way to get over one woman is to get under another. The Pi Sig booze cruise, which is set to leave Friday afternoon, would be the perfect setting for some rebound debauchery. It’s really perfect timing that Mac and Wallace’s plans to get them back together coincides with an event that would be sure to push Veronica further away from Logan. 

_Hey Logan. Heard from a friend that you’re going on the Pi Sig thing this weekend. A couple of my friends and I are planning on going too. Thought you and I could have a repeat of our fabulous night in Aspen. See you soon. -Maddy_

Mac sets the email on a timer. She wants to be sure that she’s around when he gets it. If it’s not clear to Dick that there’s no way Logan is going on this thing, there’s still a chance he’ll freak out over his missing friend and ruin everything. Of course, he should be well on his way before he realizes Logan is gone, but Mac’s not leaving anything to chance. 

Now for the truly tricky part. It will be easy to get Logan to believe that Veronica is in trouble. Guilt churns a bit in her stomach at the cruelty of playing on his greatest fears, but it’s a necessity and Mac is fairly confident that he’ll forgive her in the end. Once he’s there, though, they have to get him inside the unit without letting Veronica escape. Neither Mac nor Wallace have come up with a good plan to accomplish that, so they’ve decided to enlist Weevil. 

Weevil isn’t going to be down with getting Logan and Veronica back together, so this was going to call for a bit of finesse. Mac knew the moment he saw him, Weevil would want to beat Logan down, but if he sees Veronica in the storage unit, he will let her out in a second. 

Mac ponders the problem while sipping on her coffee. There was no way to keep Veronica from kicking up a ruckus the second the door opened. Not unless they knocked her out and, yeah, they weren’t going to do that to their friend. This was a mission of mercy, not a James Bond movie. _So where did that leave them?_

“What if we get Logan there first, then shove Veronica in?” Wallace’s voice is contemplative, his hands swirling his mug of coffee. “Would that work better?”

Mac shrugs. It’s what she’s been considering. She could call Veronica back and tell her that her parents got the days wrong and could they do it Friday morning, but she didn’t want to raise suspicions. The only way to do this is at the same time. Mac really can’t see any other solution. 

“I think we’re going to have to do this with them at the same time.” She voices her thoughts to Wallace, who looks uncertain. 

“How is that even going to work?” He raises an eyebrow. 

“Umm, well maybe not right at the same time, but within a few minutes of each other?” A plan is forming in her mind. “Okay, Veronica is supposed to help me get stuff from the unit tomorrow after her last class. It wouldn’t be too weird if I park my car somewhere other than right in front of the unit, that way it’s believable for me to have to carry stuff back and forth. I leave her there on her own, sorting through stuff, and then when Logan shows up, we shove him inside with her and slam the door.” 

“It lacks a certain elegance, but I think it could work. There’s only one thing. You were planning on having Logan come to her rescue because when he is supposed to be with you, when you get a call for help from her.” 

Damn Wallace and his logic. He really did like to poke holes in the plans without offering any solutions. _Do I have to do all the work here?_

“Then we’ll have to move all the timelines. I’m already set to meet with Logan at seven. I am supposed to meet Veronica before that, but…” Mac trails off, already seeing the problems with this plan. She can’t be in two places at once. No one else can help Logan. He doesn’t trust just anyone, and she needs to be sure that the email is received and Dick gets the message. 

“Call Logan, see if he can meet up early. Use the same excuse you used with Veronica. You’re going camping and have to get stuff for your trip, which has an early start on Friday. I’m sure he can make time for you between his fucking inappropriate girls and playing video games.” Wallace’s tone holds a bitter note. Mac’s amazed he’s still on board for this plan, considering the depth of his anger at Logan on his BFF’s behalf. 

For this plan to work though, it would be helpful if Wallace could let go of his bitterness. Veronica trusts him and, like Keith, the constant disapproval affects her relationship with Logan. 

“Wallace, I know Logan has done some shitty things, but Veronica decided to forgive him. It’s not going to help if we get them back together, but everyone is still giving her shit about being with him. She needs to know that they have our support, no matter what.” Wallace nods, fidgeting with his coffee cup. 

“I know. It’s just.” He pauses, staring off into space for a few seconds. “You weren’t there that day. The first time I met him. The guy has so much anger in him. It’s hard reconciling that guy with the one who would lay down his life for her.” 

“I wasn’t there.” Mac concedes his point, but feels compelled to point out what he’s missing. “But I have seen the two of them around each other for the past seven years. Before Lilly, before everything. Even back then, Logan was protective of Veronica. He would never let anyone harm her.”

“Then why did he abandon her, go after her the way he did?” That’s what he doesn’t get. If Logan is sincere in his feelings, and Wallace believed he was, how did everything get so messed up? How did they go from holding each other up to tearing each other apart?

Mac shrugs. “I’m not sure. I wasn’t friends with them back then. I just know one day Logan declared her out. He never seemed to stop watching her though.”

Wallace leans his face on his hand, contemplating this information, seeing the confrontation on the beach from a new angle. When Weevil showed up, Logan was still trying to intimidate Vee. Wallace didn’t understand at the time, but when the gang member started walking over, Logan shifted, subtly putting himself between Vee and Weevil. Looking at it with their history in mind, Wallace can see Logan was preparing to protect her, even if Logan wasn’t even aware of it at the time.

He sighs heavily. “You’re right. Senior year, he went out of his way to help her win that scholarship, even though it would mean her leaving him. I need to let things go and give him a chance.”

Mac favors him with a genuine smile, moving them past friends of a friend to actual friends in their own right. 

“You’re a good guy, Wallace Fennel. Now back to our plan. Your idea is a good one. However, it still doesn’t solve the problem of me having to be in two places at once.” Mac frowns, her gaze fixing on her computer. Usually she can solve all problems with it, but this one seems outside its area of expertise.

“Enlist me. I’m in this for the long haul and while I wouldn’t be going on this camping trip, it’s plausible for you to have Veronica just meet you there and bring me along to help carry the heavy stuff.” Wallace rolls his eyes as he finally fixes the major problems in their plan. “As a bonus, we won’t need to enlist Weevil.”

Mac nods, a small smile coming to her face as she examines it from all angles. It really could work. She was having trouble feeling comfortable using Weevil to knock Logan around and push him in the unit anyway. 

She steeples her hands together in her best Mr. Burns impression. “Excellent.” 

Wallace laughs while Mac pulls open her computer again. She needs to change the time on that message and check Logan’s class schedule. He does seem to be trying to attend all of his classes lately and she doesn’t want to be the cause of him skipping.

Once that is done and she’s sure he will be class free around 3 tomorrow afternoon, she gives him a call. 

There’s music on in the background when he picks up his phone. His words are slightly slurred even though it’s only 6. 

“Mackie. What’s up?”

“Ummm, hi. I was wondering if I could reschedule our thing tomorrow?” Mac taps her fingers, waiting for him to answer. Wallace watches her with a concerned look on his face. If they can’t get this one thing in place, the whole plan is screwed. 

“You’re cancelling on me?” Logan’s voice comes out tight, almost pleading. _He’s really hurting._

“No, but I have to do something for my parents tomorrow evening for this camping trip they’re dragging me to on Friday. I tried to get out of it, but my mom was insistent and I can only do so many guilt trips a week.” She crosses her fingers, hoping the lies don’t show.

“So when were you thinking?” Logan sounds relieved. 

“Could we just meet up earlier? Like 3?” 

There’s a pause and Mac wonders if he hung up or passed out. She’s about to pull the phone from her ear to check when he finally speaks again. “Yeah, that’s fine. I can make that work.” 

“Great. I’ll see you then.” Mac smiles in victory at Wallace, who smiles broadly back at her. 

“See ya.” Logan’s voice is wistful, almost like he doesn’t want to hang up with her, but honestly she isn’t much of a phone person. Besides, she only has so much to talk about with her best friend’s ex since she keeps everyone away from each other. Hopefully that will change if they manage to work things out. 

She hangs up the phone. “And that’s how you make the donuts.”

Wallace shakes his head at her, laughing. “What does that even mean?”

“I have no idea, just thought it’d sound good.” She’s laughing too. There’s still a few things to do to prep everything, so she and Wallace gather up their things.

Mac drops Wallace off at his dorm before heading to the storage unit. She needs to make sure everything is in place for tomorrow. _Hopefully, this works otherwise Wallace and I are going to have to book one-way tickets to Timbuktu and even then it might not be enough to escape Veronica’s wrath._


	5. Chapter 5

The butterflies in Mac’s stomach have spawned other butterflies, all of them flapping wildly around while she takes the elevator up to Logan’s suite. She’s only been here a handful of times, and all of those trips with Veronica. This will be her first solo hang with the man himself. That, in of itself, would be cause for nervousness, Logan’s particular brand of humor sometimes bordered on the cruel. But knowing what she and Wallace were about to do was even more unnerving. _Logan is the child of actors, he’ll surely be able to see through this ruse._

Mac straightens her shoulders as she faces Logan’s door. She will not be put off. The rest of their plan has gone off without a hitch. Only a few more steps before Logan and Veronica are safely locked away and forced to figure their shit out. Veronica took the news of Wallace’s involvement surprisingly easily, not questioning it at all. Mac mentioned a few heavy things they needed to grab and Veronica even offered to drive her Saturn, so they had more room to haul things. Her resolve in place, Mac raps on the door firmly twice. 

Unfortunately, it isn’t Logan’s clean-shaven face that meets her when the door opens. Instead, it’s the blonde surfer visage of Dick Casablancas Jr. He lets his gaze travel up and down over her before leaning against the door frame, blocking her entrance. 

“What brings you here, Ghostworld?” Mac wishes she carried a taser like Veronica. If anyone deserved a shot of electricity to the balls, it's this entitled asshole in front of her. Despite the many crimes Cassidy committed, Mac still can’t let go of her anger towards his older brother who, in her mind, helped to contribute to Cassidy’s mental instability. 

She will not be intimidated by the likes of him. She adjusts the strap of her messenger bag, her light blue eyes meeting his electric blue ones. “I’ve been invited.” She bites out the words. “Logan asked for my help.” 

The man in question yells from inside the suite. “Dick, let her in. She’s helping me with my econ project.” 

Dick sighs heavily before shifting his bulk out of Mac’s way, waving her in with a mocking bow. 

Logan is sprawled out on the couch, a game controller in his hand, eyes glued to whatever he’s playing. A few beer bottles scattered across the coffee table in front of him, along with the remnants of a joint, put out in a makeshift ashtray. _Great, he’s probably drunk and high._

He looks up from his game, his chocolate brown gaze noticing where her gaze is. Pink travels up his neck, turning his ears red. He opens his mouth, but Mac shakes her head, cutting him off.

“I don’t care, Logan. I’m not here to judge you, I’m here to help you with this project and go on my way.” She makes her tone icy. After all, it wouldn’t do for him to think she is on his side. It’s cruel, but necessary. She only hopes she will get a chance to explain everything to him later. “Where’s your laptop?”

Logan reluctantly pauses his game, pulling himself up straight. “In my bedroom. Make yourself comfortable and I’ll grab it.”

Mac takes a seat on the couch, pulling out her own laptop and connecting to the hotel’s wi-fi connection. If she timed everything right, as soon as Logan opens his laptop, the fake email from Madison will arrive and she’ll witness one of his famous hissy fits. That should buy her time, so the fake phone call from Veronica won’t seem so staged. Besides, she actually wants to help Logan with his project. 

Noticing the red vines package on the coffee table, Mac picks it up and opens it, pulling one of the licorice pieces out and popping it into her mouth. Logan comes out of his bedroom, laptop in hand, and flops down on the couch next to her.

“The required red bull is in the fridge along with an assortment of other beverages to tickle your fancy.” He opens his laptop and turns it on, waiting the required time for it to load. Mac is counting on him having the same habit most people have when they log onto a computer, to check their email even when they have other things to do. Logan doesn’t disappoint, bypassing his project documents and logging into his email.

Pretending to be interested in something on her own laptop, Mac watches Logan’s perusal of his email carefully. He clicks on one and his eyes widen, his skin taking on a slightly green cast. He tosses the laptop on the couch next to him like it's a snake, shooting up off the couch. 

“Dick!!” Logan’s voice booms through the suite. Dick walks out of his room he had retreated to after letting Mac in. He stops when Logan begins advancing on him. 

“Dude?” Dick scratches his head, a confused look on his admittedly handsome face. Logan’s face has changed hues, going from green to red, a physical manifestation of the rage coming off of him in waves. 

“Did you know Madison is coming on this booze cruise thing tomorrow?” Logan’s tone is low and dangerous. Eyes daring Dick to lie to him. Madison Sinclair ruined his life. He doesn’t know what she said to Veronica exactly, but the little he knows is enough to make his blood boil. He clenches and unclenches his fist like he’s itching to hit something or someone. He seems to forget that Mac is still sitting there. 

“Maybe?” Dick’s eyes are wide while he takes a step back from his best friend. 

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Logan roars. Dick knows how he feels about that skank. Lord knows he has cried about it to his best friend enough times these past few weeks when drunk off his ass. 

Dick takes another step back, his eyes never leaving Logan’s enraged form. He opens his mouth to speak, but Logan cuts him off. “There’s no fucking way I’m going if that bitch is going to be there.”

Logan turns on his heel, heading back to the couch, dismissing his friend. Dick blinks a few times, his mouth opening and shutting before finally he just nods. As he walks back to his room, he tosses over his shoulder. “Whatever, Dude, your loss. You’ll be missing out on some quality pussy.”

Logan sits heavily on the couch muttering under his breath, “It won’t be quality if that hell bitch is there.” 

Dick closes the door, leaving Mac and Logan alone again. Logan takes a few deep breaths before finally getting himself under control. He looks over at the pretty brunette wondering what she thought of the scene she just witnessed. Mac’s attention is still on her laptop, seemingly oblivious to the beat down he almost committed.

Fear pulses through him when he realizes the kind of ammunition he just handed her. While Veronica has made her feelings pretty clear, Logan is loath to leave the impression with her best girlfriend that he’s looking to repeat his mistakes. 

“I wasn’t planning on sleeping with anyone.” He avoids her eyes, running his hands through his hair. He glances at her out of the corner of his eye, but she’s still focused on her laptop. “I just wanted to get drunk enough to forget for a while.”

Mac glances up at him quickly before returning her gaze to the laptop in front of her. “No judgement.”

Logan relaxes a little, leaning back into the couch. He’s always liked Mac. She’s cool without being pretentious.

“I wouldn’t go either, if Madison Sinclair will be there.” Mac speaks without looking up at him, and Logan smirks at her flat tone. 

“Yeah.” He’s quiet for a second, his hand coming up to the back of his neck rubbing. “I can’t blame her for the sex. God help me, it was consensual, drunk sex but consensual. But I know that however she told Veronica about it, she did it to inflict maximum pain.” 

“Logan, we should probably have some ground rules.” Mac finally looks at him fully, her pale blue gaze intense while she watches him fidget. “Veronica is my best friend. I’m here to help you, not discuss her. I won’t be used in a plan to get back at her or with her or whatever you’re thinking. If that’s why you asked me here, tell me now and I can go.” 

“That’s not what this is.” Mac arches an eyebrow at him. “I swear, I need your help, really. I won’t mention her again, please stay. This power point is really kicking my ass.”

Mac nods curtly, gesturing for him to show her his assignment. Logan picks up his laptop and deletes the offensive email, not bothering to reply. Opening the assignment, giving him so much trouble, he scoots closer to her, setting the laptop on the coffee table between them so they can both see it. 

For the next half hour, Mac gives Logan a tutorial on the finer points of an effective power point presentation. She shows him how to add animations and explains why his slides seem so busy. None of Logan’s trademark sarcasm is on display. He is genuinely interested and asks thoughtful questions. He’s by no means dumb, but power point has stumped stronger men than him. 

Right on time, Mac’s phone vibrates as if she’s getting a call. She picks it up and looks at the display, making sure Logan catches a glimpse of the name showing up. She holds a finger up to him, letting him know to be quiet, and stands up to take the call in the kitchenette. Even though Veronica’s presence is only there via phone, Logan’s eyes track Mac’s movements, the longing in them clear as day. 

Mac knows he’s watching, so she turns her back to him, but makes sure her voice is loud enough to carry. 

“Bond, what’s up.?” Mac pauses as if listening to her friend speak. She and Wallace timed out this entire speech. Veronica is not a talker at the best of times, and especially not when she needs something and is on a case.

“No, I’m not at my dorm.” Mac nods as if she’s listening. “Yeah, sure, I can do that. Where are you?”

Logan leans forward, not even trying to pretend that he’s not listening. He’s like a hawk zeroing in on his prey. Mac can feel his eyes burning into her back and she tries not to fidget. 

“Alright, fifteen minutes. Be safe, Bond.” Mac pretends to hang up the phone before turning around to face Logan. She waves the phone at him in apology. 

“Sorry, I need to leave. Veronica needs something for a case…” She purposefully trails off, letting her face show a concern she doesn’t actually feel. 

Observant as always, Logan quickly stands and joins her in the kitchenette. “Is she okay?” Earnest brown eyes search hers.

“I think so?” Mac adds a questioning inflection to her words. She bites her lower lip, really trying to sell the worried friend angle, reeling him in. 

“What’s going on?” Logan’s voice is stern. He doesn’t care about their rules, not if Veronica is in danger.

“She followed a suspect out to some storage place. It was just supposed to be pictures, in and out, but the guy saw her and came after her. He locked her inside one of the units where she tried to hide.”

Logan’s hands go to his head, tugging his hair. He paces like he needs to get out the energy somehow. 

“Is the guy still there? Is she safe? Was she hurt?” He fires off questions a mile a minute and faster than Mac can keep up. He finally stops, his gaze pinning Mac where she stands. “You were just going to leave and go there by yourself to let her out?”

Mac swallows audibly, feeling tiny in his gaze. There’s no danger, it’s all just a setup, but she can’t help but feel like she was being stupid for even considering it. _How did Veronica ever stand up to him?_

“She tried calling Wallace, but he’s at an away game.” Mac leaves off any details that will make him calm down. The idea here is to get him to run to her rescue. 

“I’ll go.” He stands up straight as he decides, his tone telling her he won’t hear any arguments. 

“Logan, I don’t know that’s such a good-” He’s already walking to his room to grab his keys. 

“Mac, just tell me where to go. You don’t know if this guy is still there. I’m not going to let you run off to the middle of nowhere and get hurt.” He runs his hands through his hair again. “I know she hates me, but I made a promise once and I’m going to keep it.”

Mac doesn’t know what the promise is or even if it was to Veronica or himself. She nods, hanging her head. 

“Mac, the worst she’s going to do is yell. It’ll be okay.” Logan puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Where am I going?”

She gives him directions to her parents' storage unit. As soon as he’s gone, she looks at the phone in her hand. She texts Wallace their signal. It’s up to him now.

Across town, Wallace hears his phone chime. He reads the text and puts his phone back in his pocket. He and Veronica have been at the storage unit for about 30 minutes already. It’ll take about fifteen minutes for Logan to come barreling in. Wallace needs to make himself scarce before then. 

He loads a few more boxes into Veronica’s SUV, pausing to survey his handiwork. He’s managed to fill the sucker up and over half of their list is still missing. Mac was particularly thorough, leaving nothing to chance. She even convinced her parents that a weekend camping trip was just what they needed, sans her, of course. When Mac offered to pick up the camping gear as an ‘I’m sorry for not joining’, her mom wrote out a list of everything that they would need, adding credence to their lie. 

_The best lies have a kernel of truth in them._ He walks back into the unit where Veronica is sorting through a box. He stretches, catching her attention. She looks up from the box she’s rooting in, trying to find some obscure piece of camping equipment that she’s not even sure she knows what it is. 

“So Vee, the Saturn is full. Why don’t I take this load over to Mac’s place while you keep looking for the other items? You can stack those you can pick up at the front of the unit and we’ll load them up when I get back?” He maintains eye contact because he’s convinced that Veronica, like his mom, can always tell when he’s lying by the way his eyes shift away from them. 

Veronica smiles, nodding her head. “Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. Who knew you needed so much shit to live off the land.” She laughs, looking around the still overly full storage unit. The Mackenzies have gear for any camping contingency. “I’m going to try to find this doodad. Hopefully Mac gets here soon cause I have no idea what I’m looking for.” 

“Let me see the list.” Veronica hands it to him, pointing out the offending missing item. He reads it, shaking his head. “Yeah, you’re on your own there. Mac should be here in like fifteen minutes so you can probably skip it for now.”

Veronica hands him her car keys, warning him to be careful with her baby before going back to the list. She moves deeper into the unit, sure she spotted the next item a little while ago in the back. Wallace watches her for a moment before heading to the car. He glances at his watch as he gets in. With any luck, he’ll just miss Logan as he arrives, avoiding any chance of him seeing Veronica’s car. 

Rather than going to Mac’s parents, Wallace drives around to the front of the storage place. Mac’s parents' unit is a standalone thing at the back of the property, almost like its own isolated cabin. It was part of the original place before it was bought out by one of those large commercial storage unit companies. Wallace carefully drives between the rows, finally parking the car where he’s sure Logan won’t spot it on his way in. The place, thankfully, only has one entrance and exit.

After parking, he walks back towards the unit. He’s going to have to sprint to slam the door before either of them figure out they’ve been had. He scoped out a good hiding place with a view of the unit’s entrance. Running flat out it will still take him about 30 seconds to cross the space between his hiding place and where two very confused and dangerous people will be. At least the door to the Mackenzie’s unit isn’t one of those roll top things like on garages. He’s only going to have to swing that door shut. As soon as it latches, it’s near impossible to open since there’s no handle on the inside, but a padlock will ensure that Veronica doesn’t find a way to escape. 

Wallace is a little worried about locking them into essentially a large metal box, but Mac has assured him that there is not only electricity, but also air conditioning which means oxygen can get in. Her father set it up himself to ensure none of the equipment inside got damaged by poor conditions. He hears a car coming, moving fast, and he crouches down into a runner’s starting position. _This is going to be worse than the suicide runs Coach makes us do._

Logan’s black range rover comes into view, slowing down when he approaches the unit. He stops before he’s at the front door, always cautious. He gets out, leaving the car running and his door open, and moves quietly to the door. Wallace knows that if Veronica is at the back, she’s not going to be immediately visible to him. Luck is on their side, because Logan creeps into the unit, whisper calling Veronica’s name, his head looking around for any potential threats. 

As soon as Logan crosses the threshold, Wallace makes the sprint, throwing his whole weight against the heavy door, slamming it shut on Veronica’s surprised shout of “Logan!!!” He adds the padlock and starts to walk away, his hands in his pockets. He pauses to turn off Logan’s car, pulling his keys from the ignition before closing it and locking it up. Logan can thank him for that later. He should feel bad about what he did, but this has been going on too long and he wants to see his friend happy. 

When he gets into Veronica’s SUV, he pulls out his phone, calling Mac.

“It’s done.” He sighs heavily. 

“Excellent.” He chuckles at her Mr. Burns impression. “So, want to start a pool how long it takes them to fight this out and finally pull their shit together.”


	6. Chapter 6

“Logan!!” Veronica’s voice echoes in the metal storage unit, making Logan wince. She’s standing at the back of the unit, halfway obscured by boxes, some weird lantern thing in her hand. Despite her shout of his name, her eyes are fixed on the door that just slammed shut behind him. 

He turns around and pushes on the door. When that fails to yield results, he looks the door over, trying to locate some sort of handle or release lever. He knows the second Veronica joins him in his inspection, the hair at the back of his neck stands up at her proximity. After a couple minutes of silent perusal, Logan leans back against the door, taking in the rest of the storage unit. 

Veronica continues searching, pointedly ignoring him. _She’s going to blame this all on me, and her voice is going to give me a migraine if she keeps screaming._ Logan can feel the beginning of a hangover coming on. He probably shouldn’t have driven over here after spending the afternoon drinking and getting high. One more thing for Veronica to lecture him on. It never even crosses his mind that she won’t notice, she’s Veronica Mars, and she sees all of his failings in high definition. 

Finally, Veronica realizes there’s no way out, at least not through the door, and pulls out her cell phone. She gazes at it pensively while Logan watches her with hooded eyes. He hasn’t been this close to her since that awkward encounter with Heather in the elevator. He couldn’t speak then, and he doesn’t know what to say to her now. Not that she seems like she wants any conversation from him. _She never wants anything from me._

“No service.” Veronica snaps her sidekick shut, muttering. She moves further into the storage unit, still ignoring him. The storage unit is oddly appointed with shelves on the walls, a bed in the one corner, and a freezer/fridge combo along the back wall. Boxes are stacked haphazardly around the unit, but there’s still ample space to move around. 

Logan remains where he’s leaning. He pulls out his phone to see if he has any service, though he’s not optimistic. Last he knew, Veronica and he had the same provider. He knows that because he had purposefully changed his previous provider to hers so she wouldn’t incur so many charges when they had one of their marathon phone calls on those nights she couldn’t stay with him. Glancing at his phone, he confirms he has no service either. 

He watches as Veronica pulls down a folded up chair from one of the shelves and sits down in it with a heavy sigh. She’s giving him the silent treatment, which makes him smirk. Her curiosity will get the better of her before he cracks and tries to fill the silence with prattle. He slips his phone back into his pocket, leaning back against the door again, his ankles crossed. He folds his arms across his chest and prepares to wait her out. 

Veronica toys with the phone in her hand, her gaze sweeping around the unit, careful to look anywhere but at Logan himself. His smirk grows bigger as she fidgets. Any second now, she’s going to start the interrogation. He can’t help the thrill that rushes up his spine. Most people get intimidated by her when she goes into detective mode, but he finds it sexy as hell. 

A few minutes pass in silence while Veronica fidgets some more. Logan keeps his gaze steady on her. With an exaggerated sigh, she lets her eyes meet his. He quirks an eyebrow at her. She may have broken his heart, and he’d give anything to fix things between them, but he’s got some pride. Besides, she wouldn’t like it if he just bowed down to her. Much as Veronica acted like she wanted a “good” guy, what she loved about him most was that he didn’t give in to her, that he challenged her and was willing to stand his ground.. 

“What are you doing here, Logan?” She crosses her arms, raising her chin in defiance. 

“Rescuing you.” Logan unfolds his arms and waves a hand around the unit in a ‘clearly’ fashion. 

“Rescuing me? What exactly are you rescuing me from?” She glances around the storage unit with wide-eyed feigned fear. “More camping equipment than any one family should own?”

Logan lets out a sigh before he pushes off from where he’s leaning, taking a few steps towards her. She inhales sharply, but he stops a few feet away, crossing his arms and looking at her.

His chocolate brown eyes gaze intensely at her, conveying his devotion, commitment, love. He made a promise to always be there for her. He’s not going back on it. He shrugs. “You called Mac and said some guy you were tailing had you cornered in some storage unit.” He glances up to see her mouth drop open. 

Veronica closes her mouth, letting her eyes roll up towards the ceiling. “I didn’t call Mac. And even if I did, how would you know that and why would you come?”

Logan ignores the innuendo just sitting there, ripe for the taking. “Mac was helping me with a school project when you supposedly called.” He holds up a hand to forestall her protest. “I couldn’t very well let her come when there was a possibility that some lunatic was bent on destruction. She’s not as tough as you, Mars.” His voice lowers, “I was just trying to help like I promised.”

“Mac was supposed to be meeting me here to pull gear for our camping trip tomorrow.” Veronica’s voice goes soft, her eyes taking on that glazed look she gets when she’s working through a problem. Logan peers at her through his eyelashes, waiting while she reaches the same conclusion he’s already reached. “She set us up.”

Logan nods. “Looks that way.”

She lets out a growl that reminds him why he nicknamed her Bobcat. “I’m going to kill her. Wallace must have been in on this too. They’re both going to pay.” Veronica uncrosses her arms and stands up. Back and forth she paces, muttering about the retribution she’s going to heap on her two best friend’s heads. Logan watches with an amused smirk on his face. 

To her this is probably hell, but to him, it’s a chance. A chance to get Veronica to actually listen to him for a few minutes, let him apologize. He’s not under any delusions this will change things for them in the long run, but at least they can get to a better place than this awkward avoidance stage they find themselves in. _I miss her so much_. 

He glances around the unit. It doesn’t seem too bad. There’s a bed and possibly food if the fridge is any indication. The real question is why Veronica’s friends decided to trap them together. It's obvious to him that being stuck with him, alone, for any amount of time is not on her top ten list. For the life of him, he can’t understand why the people who have always hated him, hated his relationship with Veronica, would go to so much trouble, risking her wrath in the process. 

Veronica’s still ranting quietly and plotting her revenge. When he speaks she looks up sharply, almost like she forgot he was there. _That hurts, how I can be set aside so easily, especially when I can’t even take a breath without the longing for her pulsing in every one of my cells?_

“So camping?” He raises an eyebrow at her. It’s not what he really wants to ask, but any other topic seems like too much right now. Better to start things off light. 

Veronica huffs, and for a second he thinks she’s just going to ignore him. “Mac invited me.”

“Since when do you camp?” Other than the beach, he's never known her to be an outdoors kind of woman. If he had known she wanted to go camping, he would have taken her. Granted, he knew nothing of it himself since Aaron’s idea of roughing it was only taking three assistants to see to his every need rather than the normal six. Still, there’s not much Logan wouldn’t do to make Veronica happy, even if it meant sleeping on the ground and bugs. Although, judging by the crap in this storage unit, maybe sleeping on the ground isn't necessarily required. 

“Since never.” She shakes her head. “No, that’s not right. My dad took mom and I once when I was a kid. We drove up to Sequoia National Forest and camped for about two days before my mother freaked out and insisted we come back to Neptune.” Her hand flies to cover her mouth, her cerulean eyes widening as she shares more than she planned. Logan holds back a smile. 

“So you decided now was the time to test it out again?” He keeps his voice soft and soothing. Logan doesn’t want to piss her off, he wants to keep her talking. 

“I felt like a change of scenery. Mac invited me, I accepted.” Her eyes plead with him to not ask more questions, like why she feels the need to get away. At least this time she’s not acting like their breakup means nothing to her, like their relationship means nothing to her. _I just wish it was because she missed me and not because she’s still furious over Aspen._

Cut off from this line of questioning, Logan goes back to his perusal of the storage unit. He finally turns back to her. Veronica has taken a seat in the camp chair again, her feet tucked up under her. She’s looking at something on her phone. 

Logan pulls another chair down from the shelf and places it next to hers, leaving a foot of space between them. He sits heavily with a put upon groan. Veronica glances up at him, but quickly returns her attention to her phone. Logan fidgets with his sleeves, trying to work up the courage to ask what he really wants to know. 

Without looking at him, Veronica finally breaks their silence. “What do you want to ask, Logan?”

He clears his throat, his fingers pulling the cuffs of his shirt over his hands. _Fucking nervous habits._ “Why do you think your friends locked us in here?” There, it was out there, no more dancing around the topic. 

Veronica sighs, her gaze staying fixed on her phone. “I don’t know. I’m going through all of my texts and emails to see if maybe they left me a clue.”

“How long do you think they’ll leave us here?” He thinks about his car he left running and the door open in his haste to get to her. While he can afford to replace the Range Rover, he actually likes it, especially since it’s the first car he chose for himself. He would prefer if it wasn’t stolen. 

Veronica looks up from her phone, her mouth twisted in a scowl, dark eyes glinting. He can't think what he's done now to piss her off. She doesn't leave him in suspense for long, her words dripping with venom. “Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll have you out of here in time for whatever bimbo you’ve got plans to do this weekend.” 

Logan brings his hands up to his hair, tugging hard. “That’s not. I don’t.” He stops trying to talk. It doesn’t matter, she’s going to believe what she wants to believe. _Why should she listen to me now when she never has before?_

“What? Are you trying to tell me you and Dick don’t have plans to hook up with some hotties this weekend on that Pi Sig booze cruise?” Her eyes are wide and innocent, her tone calm, but Logan isn’t fooled. A part of him thrills that she’s still keeping tabs on him, while another part is pissed that her opinion of him is just above that of pond scum. He shakes his head.

She closes her eyes briefly and when she opens them again, it's like the day she broke up with him, pain glittering in them. “You know, if you hadn’t tried to rescue me.” She makes air quotes and Logan swallows around the lump in his throat, knowing that her next words are going to gut him. “Then you wouldn’t have to worry about missing out on a repeat performance with Madison.”

Logan closes his eyes, blocking out the pain in hers. He never wanted to hurt her, but it seems like that’s all he is good at. He can’t do anything right. He broke up with her because it worried him that he cared more than she did, and he wanted to salvage some pride before he was completely lost. When she came back to him one night, he let himself believe she did love him. Clearly that was a lie because she took off as soon as she learned he did something stupid. 

Torn between self-loathing and anger at the unfairness of it all, he stays silent. Her words echo in his head. Madison fucking Sinclair. She's to blame for all this. The stupid bitch couldn't keep her mouth shut about one of the worst nights of his life. And that's saying something.

Logan Echolls is no stranger to terrible nights. He's had more than his fair share, especially when his father was alive. But that night in Aspen, which he doesn’t even fucking remember, stands out. He knew the minute he woke up and saw Madison’s bleach blonde head, Veronica would never forgive this. He mistakenly thought he could keep it from her, but of course she found out and dropped his sorry ass without even letting him give his side of things. Not that the truth would have changed her mind. It didn't matter if he was so drunk he didn’t know what he was doing. Sleeping with her mortal enemy was a step too far. 

Logan opens his eyes, subtly trying to shake off the tension that has him tighter than a bowstring. Veronica is staring at her phone again, ignoring him. "I wasn’t going on the booze cruise. No plans this weekend, but I do have a presentation due in econ on Monday that I'd prefer not to fail." He bites out the words, his control of his temper fraying. 

Veronica doesn't even glance up at him. "Oh, now you care about school."

_That's it. I might be stuck in here with her, but it is not my fault and I don't need to put up with her condescending shit._ _Her friends did this._

"Drop the holier-than-thou attitude, Veronica. Instead of sitting there playing Tetris, why don't you get up off your ass and help me find a way out?"

She bares her teeth at him and perversely he feels the blood rush to his cock. 

“I've been here for a few hours already. There is only one door. Now shut up while I try to see if those traitors left me any kind of clue. If you're so gung-ho to find a way out, you're welcome to look around.” Veronica goes back to her phone. Logan stares at her for a second, but she’s dismissed him yet again. 

With a frustrated growl, he heaves himself out of his chair and prowls around the unit, looking over the shelves. Fifteen minutes later, he’s looked at everything on the shelves and moved a few boxes, but nothing has jumped out at him. Veronica stays focused on her phone. He leans against a shelf, wondering what to do next.

Clearly she doesn’t want to talk to him. That’s fine for now, since he can’t guarantee his control on his temper. He misses her like crazy, but even he knows their relationship has turned toxic. She doesn't trust him and he keeps making stupid mistakes which reinforce her belief he can't be trusted. With all the breakups and getting back together, it was starting to feel like his relationship with Lilly. That's not what he wanted. He didn't want to be the same fucked up kid begging for scraps of affection. He wants to matter as much as her cases. 

Logan sighs. It all comes back to after Lilly died. He treated her so terribly he really can’t blame her for not trusting him. There is no easy answer. He’s falling back on his habits and burying his pain in sex, alcohol and drugs. How can she trust him if he can’t trust himself? _I really should see someone like a therapist. Otherwise, Veronica is right and I'm just going to be a Hollywood cliche._

Veronica’s stomach growls in the silence and the sound echoes off the walls. It’s so typical, and reassuring somehow, that Logan can’t help the laugh bubbling out of his throat. It gets louder when a pink flush crawls up her neck. 

“Might you be hungry, Veronica?” Logan pushes the words out amid his now near hysterical laughter. He doesn’t know why it’s so funny. Nothing about this situation is funny, but he’s stressed and really has no idea what else to do. 

“A little. I haven’t eaten yet today.” Her words come out softly and she looks at the floor rather than the phone in her hand. 

Her simple confession stops his laughter cold. While he teases her about her appetite, Veronica has one of those hyper-metabolisms that required constant feeding. Logan looked it up once when they were younger. He stares at her a little more closely, noticing her cheeks and chin looked a little sharper than normal. She was wearing her typical layers and sitting down so he can’t really tell if they are hanging off her frame. 

Logan stands up straight and walks to the fridge. Hopefully, there’s something in there that doesn’t need to be cooked. He can feel Veronica’s eyes on him while he opens the door and surveys the contents. Most of it isn’t familiar to him, but there’s some cheese and lunch meat. Even without bread, it should be enough to tide her over. He pulls out a package of pre-sliced cheddar and some ham. Underneath the ham is a piece of paper. 

Curious, Logan pulls it out, slipping it in his pocket before bringing the food to Veronica. 

“I didn’t see any bread, but these should be good.” He hands her the ham and cheese, earning a small smile of thanks. 

Logan sits back in his chair, shifting it slightly to remove some space between them. He watches Veronica wrap the cheese up in the ham, her delicate teeth tearing off a bite. He shifts uncomfortably when she moans quietly around the food, watching as her throat ripples when she swallows. Trying to distract himself, he pulls the paper he found out of his pocket and unfolds it. 

Veronica glances up at his sharp gasp. “What? What is that?” She leans over, close enough so he can smell her perfume.

“Apparently, your friends think we need to work our shit out.” He hands the note over to her before she can grab it out of his hands. He’s disappointed when she leans back into her own chair. 

“I figured this would be the best place to put this. Even Veronica won’t think to look in the fridge until absolutely necessary.” Veronica reads the note aloud. “By now you know you’re locked in and that Wallace and I did it. I’d say sorry, but we’re not. We’ve been watching the train wreck that is the Logan and Veronica show for some time now, and while we generally just watch, a few things recently have made us decide to step in. First, you’re both being stupid. Anyone with eyes can see that you love each other. Whatever is keeping you from admitting it or realizing how rare it can be, you need to get past it. Second, not only are you hurting yourself, but you have the potential to hurt others in the process. We all know you’re going to get back together eventually, so why pretend and drag others into your sick games?”

Veronica pauses, looking up at him. He shrugs. He has no clue who else they’re hurting in their tug of war. She goes back to reading out loud.

“Veronica, you need to stop being so afraid of putting yourself out there. Not everyone is going to hurt you. Give him a chance. He’s not the big bad wolf. Like you, he’s been through a lot and it’s messed with him. That doesn’t mean he can’t change or grow up. Let the past go and embrace your future. Instead of jumping to conclusions, talk and find out why things happened. Stop running before you run out of places to run to or you run to a place you can never come back from.”

Logan smirks at Mac’s description. It would seem the computer nerd knows Veronica very well. 

Snapping, she levels him with a glare. “Don’t get all cocky. There’s more.” Logan tries to take the paper, but Veronica moves it further away. He uses his longer arms to reach across her, invading her personal space, their faces inches apart. Veronica inhales sharply at the intrusion, still trying to keep the letter away from him. Logan pauses, his eyes slipping to her lips. Her eyes widen and he snatches the letter when she gasps. 

“Logan, what happened to you sucks, but you don’t need to let it define you. Stop trying to punch your way out of things. Get some help before all of your ‘coping’ methods destroy the good inside of you. You are not your father and you deserve better than the way you treat yourself and the way you let others treat you. Don’t give up on her. She does love you, but like you, she’s damaged. Keep trying. We’ll let you out when you finally fix things once and for all. You have plenty of supplies and air ventilation. Hopefully, when you see us again, we won’t have to run for our lives from your combined wraths. Remember, we’re doing this because we care about you, both of you.” 

Logan rereads the letter from start to finish, silently. When he looks up, Veronica is staring off vacantly, biting her thumbnail. Logan lays the letter down in his lap carefully before taking her hand from her mouth, linking their fingers together. 

Veronica glances at him before looking at their joined hands. She pulls her hand free. “Well, now we know why they did it.”

“She’s right.” Logan quiets his voice, looking for patience, and trying not to feel the loss of her. 

“Right about what?” Veronica has taken a classic defensive position, arms crossed, glare maring her beautiful face. 

“Me.” He takes a deep breath, letting his walls down. It’s dangerous. Every time he’s left himself open to her, no shield, she’s left him devastated. “I do love you. You see more in me than I see in myself. I want to be that person, the person with ambition and goals, a partner to you. But I don’t know how. No one ever expected me to be more, and it's terrifying, especially when I feel like there’s no room for mistakes.”

He refuses to look at her. He doesn’t want to see the judgement that’s sure to be in her eyes, the disappointment. It hurts more than any beating from Aaron knowing he continually fails her. 

Taking another deep breath, he continues. “Everything that’s happened the past few years I’ve tried handling in my own way. White knuckling it, pretending that if I could just make it through each day, if I had you, it would all come out right in the end.” He looks up at her, tears welling up in his eyes but not falling. Veronica swallows audibly. “It’s not working though. I don’t feel any less on the edge of the abyss. There’s all this rage inside me and it scares even me.”

“Logan, you’re not him.” This is the most they’ve broached these topics, both wanting to pretend like the past few years didn’t happen. 

“Yeah, I know, but I could be. It’s inside of me. He lashed out when he was upset, making my mom and me pay for everything he thought was wrong in his life. Can you really say that I’m that different?” He closes his eyes. 

Veronica reaches out and takes his hand from where it's wrapped around the arm of the chair, slowly prying his fingers free before linking them with her own. His eyes fly open and he gives her fingers a gentle squeeze. 

“I’m sorry, Veronica. For everything. I want to be better, I’m just not sure how.” She nods, her eyes on their intertwined fingers. 

“I’m sorry too. I know you’re not a bad person, I never would have dated you if you were.” She takes a deep shuddering breath. “The trust thing doesn’t come easy to me. Forgiving you is one thing, but I can’t forget what’s happened.”

Logan nods. He expected as much. Even if they are talking finally, it isn’t enough to repair all that is broken. As long as they are speaking of the things that destroyed them, there was a question he wanted to ask.

“Veronica. What happened with Madison?” Logan keeps his voice quiet, soothing. He wants to tell her his side of things, but he knows without a doubt that she’s not ready to hear it. 

“You slept with her.” Veronica’s tone is icy, matching the glare she levels at him. He takes it as a good sign when she doesn’t pull her hand away and pushes on.

“Besides that. Why do you hate her so much? I brought the GHB to the party. Dick put it in her cup. She didn’t try to roofie you.” He’s always known that there was no love lost between her and Madison, but he doesn’t understand why Veronica blames her for the rape. It makes no sense to him. 

“She may not have known it was there, but she wouldn’t have cared if she did.” Veronica huffs. 

“She’s a bitch, always has been, but that doesn’t make her responsible for what happened. I’m more responsible than she is. I made it okay to harass you, and I brought the drugs. I fucking used you as a salt lick. If that doesn’t scream it was okay to hurt you, I don’t know what does. How can you forgive me, but hate her?” Logan releases her hand, not trusting himself as his rage rises. It’s internal, his hatred of himself and his stupidity. 

Veronica gets up, moving away from him. He swivels his head to keep her in his eyesight. She’s trying to run, but there’s nowhere to go. It almost makes him laugh. When she realizes she can’t go anywhere, she wraps her arms tightly around her middle and he notices a trembling in her hands.

“Veronica?” Logan stands, intending to follow her, but she holds a hand up, her cerulean eyes begging him to stay back. 

She wraps her arms back around herself, sinking down on the bed. She looks so small and fragile, and now he can see that her clothes are hanging off of her frame, she looks like she’s lost too much weight. _Has she not been eating?_ He just wants to hold her. Instead, Logan forces himself to stay back, letting her come to him in her own time. 

After a few minutes of silence, Veronica takes a shaky breath. When she speaks, her voice is low and rough. “When I investigated my case.” She pauses, taking another shaky breath. “I confronted Madison. I just knew the vandalism to my car was her doing. She was always jealous and petty. When Lilly was alive, she kept most of her vitriol to herself, but when you turned against me, she was the worst of the 09’er girls to me. Destroying my clothes, calling me a slut. After the party, it got worse.”

Veronica’s gaze is unfocused, lost in the memories of those times. Logan shudders to think of how cruel people can be, how cruel he was to her. She didn’t deserve what happened. 

“She told me I made out with Dick.” Veronica’s shoulders shake as she scowls. “I told her I was drugged, and she didn’t believe me. It didn’t matter to her, she had no remorse. I found out later from Meg that Madison likes to spit in cups and hand them off to people she doesn’t like. She calls it ‘a trip to the dentist.’ I can definitely say that a trip to the dentist would have been more pleasant.”

Logan struggles for a few seconds. Thoughts are swirling in his head and he doesn’t want to say something wrong, not when she’s opening up to him in a way she never has. Madison is an entitled bitch, but she didn’t purposefully drug Veronica. She didn’t even know about it. 

When he speaks, his words are slow, faltering. “So she spit in a cup and gave it to you and it had the drugs in it.” 

Veronica nods, pulling further into herself.

“But she didn’t know about the drugs.” Logan tries to keep his voice even. Veronica glares at him. 

“No, she didn’t know.” Veronica reluctantly admits. “I don’t see how that changes anything.”

“It doesn’t, but she didn’t purposefully set you up to be raped. She didn’t even know Dick was trying to drug her. She’s kind of a victim in all of this too.” The second the words leave his mouth, he knows they’re a mistake. It’s too late to take them back now. All he can do is hope he survives the fall out. Veronica unwraps her arms, her face flushed red with rage, as she stalks toward him. 

“So that makes everything better? She didn’t know, so it’s okay that you slept with her. Is that what you’re saying? That I just need to get over it now?” Veronica’s voice rises and her arms gesture wildly. Logan takes an involuntary step back, shaking his head, heart pounding wildly in his chest.

“No, I didn't mean it like that.” He stops, trying to not make it worse. 

“You knew I hated her. You knew it would destroy me to think of the two of you together.” Veronica vibrates with her anger and he can see tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, the kind that only happens when she’s pushed to her breaking point. 

“It wasn’t like that.” Logan’s voice comes out on a whine. He clears his throat. “Not everything is about you. I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was trying to hurt myself! Not you, me! I wanted to hurt me!”

Veronica’s eyes go wide in shock. She opens her mouth, but he stops her, talking over anything she might say. He needs to get this out. 

“I didn’t even know I slept with Madison until the morning after. We had broken up and I know it was my decision, but I was miserable, missing you. You didn’t even seem to care. Then the whole thing with Mercer happened, and I failed you again. I wasn’t there when you needed me. So I did what I always do when I’m upset. I tried to numb the pain, drinking, drugs, anything to escape feeling. It’s a fucked up coping mechanism, I know, but at no point did I think about trying to hurt you.”

“Really? Cause it sounded like it was a lot more when Madison gleefully told me about it.” Bitterness infuses each of her clipped words and a single tear she ignores falls down her cheek. 

“What the fuck did she tell you?” His voice comes out as a snarl and he regrets it because he doesn’t want to snarl at her. He wants to snarl at himself, at Madison. He needs to know. This has been something he’s been thinking about a lot. He knows Madison was the one who told her, probably in some catty way. What he doesn’t understand is how she didn’t even give him the benefit of the doubt or believe him when he said it meant less than nothing to him. 

“Oh, not much, just that you two had enjoyed a weekend together, enough that she felt confident giving me advice on what kind of lingerie you’d like.” Logan’s mouth drops open. _That fucking bitch. It wasn’t enough that she told Veronica about his drunken mistake, she had to make it sound like it was something more than what it was._

“Veronica, it wasn’t like that. It wasn’t some romantic weekend. It was a drunken mistake, a single- not even full night, more like half a night. A drunken fuckup I don’t even remember making and that I regretted the second I woke up.” Logan’s eyes fill with tears, remembering how lonely he was missing her.

“Oh, my mistake. You didn’t have sex with her because you wanted to. It was because you were drunk and probably high as a fucking kite. Well, that’s okay then.” Veronica’s voice shakes with her anger. “As long as you don’t remember doing it.”

“What do you want me to say? I fucked up. I do stupid shit when I’m upset. I’m sorry. Please, how do I make this right? It’s killing me to not be with you.” The tears are spilling over now. _I know I’m screwed up, I don’t know how to fix it._

“My mother was an addict. Your mother was an addict. I can’t be with someone who's an addict.” Veronica has turned away from him and Logan notices her slight shoulders slump and shake. 

“I’m not an addict.” 

Veronica makes a noise in her throat and her voice shakes when answering. Says every addict, ever. Face it, Logan. You just admitted whether it’s drugs, alcohol, or sex, you use it to numb your pain. Either way, I get hurt, I pay a price.” 

“I don’t want to hurt you. Tell me what I can do to make this better.” Logan pleads, the tears still streaming down his cheeks. Veronica looks away, her own eyes glassy. 

“I don’t know.” Veronica inhales deeply, letting the breath out slowly. “I miss you, but all we seem to do is hurt each other. I don’t want to be that couple. I don’t want us to be like you and Lilly.”

She closes her eyes, a tear escaping down her cheek. Logan reaches over and uses his thumb to wipe it away. 

“I don’t want to lose you.” It’s the truth. He loves this woman to distraction. She’s everything to him.

“It’s too late. It’s probably been too late for a long time.” Her eyes are still closed, but she wraps her arms around herself more tightly. 

Logan watches while she takes deep breaths, trying to keep her emotions under control. She’s always in control while he feels like a raging mess of chaos. On the outside he might come across as cool and collected, but inside he’s broken. 

The two stand there, gazes locked, each consumed by their own thoughts and regrets. Veronica finally breaks their standoff and sits back down in the camp chair, ignoring him. She goes back to eating the ham and cheese, avoiding looking at Logan who sits next to her again, pulling his sleeves over his hands again and again. 

Finally, he takes a shuddering breath. “No.”

Veronica glances over at him, her eyebrows quirking up in question. 

More forcefully, Logan repeats the word. “No. I’m not giving up that easily. No one writes songs about the ones that come easy. Do you love me?”

He locks his gaze on hers and refuses to look away. He doesn’t want a one-word answer this time. He needs to know if there’s really anything here worth fighting for. Every time she’s decided to run, he’s stood back and watched, let her walk away from him. He does it because he doesn’t believe he deserves her. That hasn’t changed, but dammit, he’s trying to be better for her. She believes in him, sees something good in him, and he desperately wants to live up to her expectations. But he needs to know that she’ll be there on the other side.

Veronica watches him like he’s a dangerous animal about to pounce on her before finally nodding curtly. 

“Say it. I need to hear you say the words.” He closes his eyes against the rush of elation that curt nod ignited in him. _It’s not enough, not this time. I need to change, but so does she. We need to both be willing to work on this._

“It doesn’t matter how I feel. We’re over. I don’t know how to go back before Madison, before everything.” Veronica shakes with silent sobs, and Logan aches to hold her. 

“Why are we trying to go back? We can’t erase the past. I can’t change the things I’ve done. I would if I could, I hope you know that. Why can’t we try to go forward, together?” His eyes plead with her. 

“How? How do we do that when every time I close my eyes I see the two of you together?” Her voice is anguish, dropping to a whisper on her next words. “I’m not enough for you.”

Logan feels his heart stop for a second before painfully beating again. “What are you talking about? You are everything to me. I only want you. I’m the one who's not good enough for you.” Logan shakes his head vehemently. He doesn’t understand where these thoughts are coming from. She’s perfect, beautiful, sexy, smart. 

“You’ve been with so many women. Lilly, Kendall. I’m not like them. I can’t even buy the right lingerie.” Logan curses Madison again. Playing on Veronica’s insecurities, insecurities that he didn’t even realize that she had. He thought she was amazing in bed and told her so all the time. Suddenly, all of her snarky comments about other women and flirting make a lot more sense. 

“Veronica, all of those were just physical. It couldn’t hold a candle to what you and I have. There is no comparison. You are the only one I want. How can I prove that to you?” 

“You have a type, Logan.” She gestures down her exquisite body. “Curves, sensual, experienced, everything I’m not.”

“Did it ever occur to you that I go for those when I can’t have you because they’re not you? That my type is actually you and I can’t handle a pale imitation?” Logan leans closer to her, pulling her hands into his. He lets out the breath he’s holding when she doesn’t pull away. He rubs his thumb over her hand, reveling in the smooth skin. She shakes her head, watching his thumb as it traces shapes on the back of her hand.

“But-” Logan cuts her off before she can say anything else. 

“No. You are what I want. Being with you is, well, I can’t even describe it properly. Everyone else is just nothing. None of them could get me off like you do. I swear every time with you is like an out-of-body experience.”

Her eyes are wide, but she shakes her head. Logan gazes intently into her eyes, looking for something. 

“Veronica, do you love me?” He’s not letting this drop. “I love you, I want to make this work between us. Move forward from our past and build a future with you, but I need to hear the words.”

She takes a deep breath, her eyes darting to their hands before returning his gaze. “Yes, but-”

Logan cuts her off again. “No buts. Say the words. Please.” He leans forward, resting his forehead against hers. “Please.” His voice rough, his desperation on display. He needs to hear the words. He needs to know she loves him, truly loves him.

“It’s not that easy.” Veronica licks her lips, her eyes darting around wildly. Her breathing is shallow. Logan brings a hand up, cups her cheek. He brushes his lips over hers, gently. She leans into his touch, but he pulls back. Sex won’t fix this.

His heart breaking, he lets go of her hands and moves away from her. “I guess that’s my answer.” He says with a sigh. He glances at her from under his eyelashes, taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself. “It’s okay. Now I know. We can move on, let each other go.”

Veronica’s breaths are coming in gasps now, panting as if she’s been running. Her hand comes up to her chest. Logan tries to give her a smile, telling her with his eyes, that it’s okay. 

“No.” Veronica’s voice breaks through her panicked breaths. She closes her eyes, struggling to take a deep breath, and her eyes blink rapidly. Logan remains silent while she works to get her breathing under control. He wants to help, but if he touches her now, he knows he’ll break into a million pieces. When her breathing evens out, she opens her eyes. The look in them causes Logan to gasp. He’s never seen her look at _him_ like this. There’s determination, longing, and fear, but something more. _Is this what love looks like?_

“I can’t, I don’t know how.” The words are whispered while she reaches out for him. She shakes her head, her mouth opening and closing as she tries to verbalize her feelings. 

Unable to stand idle when she’s in so much pain, Logan takes her outstretched hand, pulling her up out of the chair and into his arms. He tucks her head under his chin and kisses the top of her head. Veronica’s arms wrap around his waist, her small body trembling. 

“It’s okay, Veronica. It’ll be okay. I’ll leave, enroll somewhere else.” He can give her this, give her the out that she seems to need. Putting space between them is for the best. If they’re not constantly in each other’s orbits, maybe they’ll be able to heal. She can’t afford to leave, but he can. Already plans are formulating in his mind. A new school, some therapy, maybe someday he’ll be able to love someone else.

Veronica is shaking her head against his chest, sobs now wracking her body. “Don’t go.” The words are choked out between heaving sobs. “Don’t give up on me. Please.”

“I don’t want to keep hurting you. If we can’t let go of the past.” He takes a deep shuddering breath, holding her tighter, every cell in his body rebelling against the idea of letting her go. “We keep repeating this cycle. It’s not fair to either of us.”

He’s trying to be mature for once. If you love someone, set them free. Veronica isn’t ready for him, and he’s not ready for her. He thought they could grow up together, but all they seem to do is hurt one another. 

Logan tips her head up to look at him. “I love you, Veronica. I don’t know how to stop. Please, let me do this for you, for us. We’ll destroy each other if we don’t.”

Tears stream down her face as she raises up on her toes. Her lips press urgently against his and he’s helpless to deny her. His mouth opens on a sigh and her tongue slips in, tangling with his. Logan’s hands slide into her hair, holding her close as he deepens the kiss. 

They kiss for several minutes, the passion between them building. Logan pulls back with a shaky breath. If he doesn’t stop this, they’ll be flat on that bed in a matter of moments. Veronica pants, her eyes dark with lust. She leans back towards him, but he takes a step back, bringing his hands to his own head, tugging on his hair. 

“Logan?” Her voice is small, uncertain. He wants to reassure her, but he doesn’t trust his own voice right now. His erection is straining against his jeans, begging to be released. 

“This won’t solve anything.” His frustration causes his voice to come out as a growl. He needs to get out of here. Speaking to the storage unit at large, he pleads with Mac to let him out. “We’ve decided, let us out now. Please.”

Veronica wipes the tears from her face, sniffling a little. “I don’t know that they’re listening.”

“How else are they planning to know when we’ve figured our shit out?” He doesn’t spare a glance for her, prowling around the unit, looking for something. 

“Did we?” Her voice is small. Logan glances back at her, she’s wringing her hands. 

“You can’t let go of the past and I can’t be with you if you can’t be all in. I think it’s pretty clear where that leaves us.” It’s not what he wants, but she hasn’t given him any other options. 

“I don’t want to lose you.” Her face reminds him of the morning after alterna-prom, when she came to him only for him to fuck it up again. 

Logan stalks back over to her, his gaze intense. “I don’t want to lose you either, but we can’t keep doing this. Mac and Wallace are right. If I stay, we’ll keep repeating this cycle because you’re like a drug to me. I’m addicted to you. Eventually we’ll destroy each other and I can’t do that to you.” 

Veronica lets out an exasperated breath. “So that’s it? We go our separate ways. You leave Neptune and we forget about each other?”

“You can’t even say you love me. I’m trying to do the right thing here.” _She’s so infuriating. Why is she torturing me like this?_ “Let me go, Veronica. You said you couldn’t get past the Madison thing. Let me go.”

She raises her chin defiantly. “I can’t.” 

“Why? You don’t want to be with me.” Logan scowls at her. She doesn’t want him, but she won’t let go. She’s going to drive him crazy. 

“I.” She squares her shoulders while he holds his breath, waiting for her response. “I’m addicted to you too. It scares the hell out of me, the hold you have on me. I’ve tried to fight it. You have so much power and I feel out of control when I’m with you. No one else can hurt me like you can because no one else matters like you do. It makes no sense, I should let you go, but the thought of losing you.” She trails off, tears filling her eyes again. 

“I can’t stay in this limbo.” He’s self-aware enough to know it’s a recipe for disaster. There’s no way he won’t do something stupid trying to get her attention if they stay like this. 

“I know. I just.” She takes a deep breath, taking a step closer to him. “I need some time. I’m so mad and scared. I want to be with you, but you terrify me.”

He gasps and feels sick at her confession. “I scare you?” 

“Not like that.” She blurts out, correctly reading his mind. “Not like Aaron. I feel so much for you. I’ve gotten so used to shoving all of my emotions down and you bring out everything in me. It’s overwhelming, you’re overwhelming.”

“I don’t want to overwhelm you. I just want to love you, be with you. I want us to build a future together.” His eyes burn with more unshed tears and he tries to blink them away. 

She closes the gap between them, wrapping her arms around him again. He sighs into her, pulling her closer. _Push and pull. Can’t they ever just be?_

Her voice is muffled by his chest. “I want that too.”

“What was that?” Logan pulls back slightly. Veronica sighs, the sound almost resigned. 

“I want that too. I love you.” The words are slow, like she’s forcing them out, but it’s enough for him. It’s more than he had hoped for. His smile is bright as he leans down to capture her lips. The passion always between them ignites and soon they’re gasping for breath. Without even thinking about it, he’s spun them over to the bed. He sits down heavily, pulling her down with him, straddling his thighs, without breaking their kiss. 

With a shaky breath, he pulls back. He tucks an errant strand of hair behind her ear, smiling at her. “What does this mean?” He needs clarity before they go any further. 

She gazes at him with a shy smile on her face. It’s adorable and sexy and he wants to go back to kissing her, but he needs to know where they stand.

“The kissing didn’t clue you in?” She smirks a little. He shakes his head, his eyes wide. 

“Nope.” He pops the p. “That has never been a problem for us. We’re like wildfire, uncontrollable when it comes to our sexual chemistry. And I, more than anyone, know that sex doesn’t mean resolution. We have a lot of problems.”

Veronica nods, agreeing. “We do, but we’re not going to solve them being apart. I meant what I said. It terrifies me, but I love you.” Logan smiles again at the words. Veronica turns stern.

“No more running.” She points at herself. “No more self-destructive coping.” She points at him and he nods. “We do this like adults. Talking, working it out together. When we fight, we don’t break up.”

Logan leans his forehead against her, enjoying the feel of her in his arms, laying down the law. “I can do that. I’m going to get help.”

She raises her eyebrows, surprised. “Help, like a therapist?”

He nods. “Among other things. I don’t think I’m an addict, but I definitely use booze and drugs as a crutch to deal with things. That can’t be a good sign.”

Veronica frames his face with her hands. “I’ll get help too.”

Logan looks confused, so she continues. “I’ve been trying to put everything behind me. I thought if I ignored it, we could just pretend it didn’t happen. Clearly that is not working. I need to find a way to let go of all this anger in me. You know I almost cubed Madison’s car?” 

A chuckle rips from his throat. “Don’t change too much, Bobcat. Your penchant for justice is one of the many things I love about you.”

She smiles at him, her eyes wide. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. It’s figuring out the line between justice and vengeance that I’m struggling with lately.”

“We’ll figure it out together.”

Veronica echoes his words. “Together.”

They stare into each other’s eyes. As one, they lean into each other, their breath mingling before lips connect again in a fiery kiss. Hands rove as they consume one another, the only sounds are gasps and tiny moans, echoing loudly in the metal storage unit. 

Before clothes start coming off, a grating noise interrupts them. They pull apart as the door to the storage unit opens, revealing a red faced Wallace and smirking Mac. 

“Sorry to interrupt, but we didn’t think you’d appreciate us listening to what was clearly about to happen.” Mac’s voice is smug, not an ounce of remorse shows on her face. Wallace nods enthusiastically while making a face in agreement with her. 

Veronica’s face flushes a bright red at the thought of her friends listening to everything she and Logan have just discussed. Logan hugs her close, letting her hide her face in his chest while he laughs happily. He’s not ashamed that anyone knows how much he loves her. Maybe it's something he needs to show a bit more since she seems insecure sometimes. Definite fodder for his therapist. 

He pulls back to look into her face, his hand brushing her hair from her face. “What do you say we continue this at my place?”

She nods, intertwining their hands before standing up. Logan stands, pulling their joined hands up to his mouth, kissing her hand gently. He gazes into her eyes, telegraphing all of his intentions for her when they’re alone. Hopefully she can spend the night for a change. With time and a new living situation, maybe he can convince her to spend all her nights with him. _One thing at a time, Logan._

Mac and Wallace watch their intimate interchange, both smiling. Logan and Veronica walk towards them.

“I’m assuming one of you has my car keys?” Logan’s voice is light. He could care less about his car as long as he’s got Veronica in his arms. Wallace nods, pulling them out of his pocket. 

“We left your car at the Grand, Vee.” Wallace tells his friend. Logan tugs gently on their joined hands when she pauses in front of her friends. He’s eager to get her back to his suite and finish what they started. Veronica fixes her friends with a glare.

“Don’t think because this worked out that I’m not still going to get you both back for this.” The two blanch at her threat. Logan pulls her into a one-armed hug, laughing. 

“That’s my Bobcat.” He places a kiss on the side of her head. Taking pity on his guardian angels, he addresses them. “Don’t worry so much. I’ll make sure to get her into a really good mood, so she’s not so mad.”

Wallace makes a gagging noise, but Mac smiles at him. “It’s going to take a really good mood for her to let us off the hook.” 

Logan winks at her. “I believe I have all weekend to work on that.”

Veronica glances at him, raising an eyebrow. “Well, your dad thinks you’re out of town with Mac and her parents, doesn’t he?” She nods. “Good, cause it’s going to take that long for me to show you how appreciative I am that we’re trying again.”

Veronica blushes, making him want to laugh again, but he tamps it down. Now that he understands her insecurities, he needs to limit his cocky comments. At least until she feels secure in his love. It’s a small price to pay for all that is Veronica Mars.

He pulls her to his car, opening the passenger door and boosting her up. He kisses her chastely before going around to the driver's side. He glances back at Wallace and Mac, mouthing thank you before getting in the car himself. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The entire work is gifted to the amazing Oliviet, but the end of this chapter has a little something extra for all those who joined in the discussion on Elliebear Drive on what we'd really like to see happen to Piz. I hope you all enjoy.

Four days later

Logan and Veronica take full advantage of the empty suite, not coming up for air until resuming classes force them to. It isn’t all sex. They spend a good deal of time just talking, finally getting to that intimate place Veronica always hoped they’d get to. There are arguments, they wouldn’t be them if there weren’t, but instead of running or lashing out, they talked through things. 

Both are extremely relaxed and happier than anyone has seen them, in fact the last time they themselves remember being this relaxed was in those lazy days before tragedy blew through their lives and blew them apart. When they show up at the cafeteria the following Monday, they share some whispered words and a quick kiss. Then the duo split up, Logan heading to the food lines to get them some breakfast while Veronica joins her friends at the table they commandeered. Piz and Parker are there with their respective roommates. 

“Morning.” Veronica chirps, very UnVeronica-like as she sits down in the empty chair next to Piz. He stared at her glumly, like a dog whose favorite bone has been taken away. 

Wallace and Mac smile at her, cautious. While it seems that Logan has provided a mood altering weekend, one can never be too careful with Veronica. She’s the type of person who will happily smile at you while shoving the knife in your stomach.

Veronica widens her eyes in innocence at her two nervous friends. “What?”

Piz is the one who answers, his voice whiney. _How has she never noticed how whiney he is?_ “So what? You just forgave him for cheating on you?”

Veronica frowns. Clearly her BFF had been sharing information that isn’t his to share, but Piz has obviously gotten the facts wrong. She clears her throat, trying to keep ahold of the blissful calm she had been feeling. “Logan did not cheat on me. He would never, Logan is loyal to a fault sometimes. And yes, we made up. It was a stupid misunderstanding. Something that will not be happening again as we are working on our communication.”

Parker chimes in with a forced smile on her face while Logan joins the group, placing a tray in front of his girlfriend. Her normally perky voice holds a hint of bitterness, which causes Logan to frown. “That’s great. But, I hope it lasts this time. I mean, if you don’t _really_ want him, it’s not fair to deny others access to his yumminess.”

Mac and Wallace share a worried glance. Their roommates are acting like idiots and they aren’t going to be able to save them. While Logan frowns, Veronica places a hand on his thigh, stopping the snarky comment she’s sure is on the tip of his tongue. 

“First and foremost, Logan is a person, not an object, thank you very much. Second, the rest of the female population will have to find some other guy to use for their self-validation. Logan is off the market. In fact.” She smiles at her boyfriend, knowing what she’s about to say is going to make his day.

During their marathon weekend, he had brought up the idea of getting an apartment and living together. In typical Veronica fashion, she had put him off, not out right declining the offer, but making it clear she wasn’t sure they were ready for that step. Instead of taking it as a rejection of him, Logan actually listened to her and they agreed to think about it rather than jump into anything. It had been on her mind ever since. Having to go home last night to appease her father and spend the night alone had helped her reach a decision. She loved her father, but Logan was her future. She couldn’t stand to spend any more nights apart from him. She was in this for real this time. 

“We’ve decided to get a place together.”

Logan’s mouth drops open, but he recovers quickly, snatching up her hand and kissing it. He mouths ‘I love you’ to her. She smiles brightly at him. 

When she looks at the others at the table, their faces show varying degrees of shock, but Mac manages to congratulate them and for it to be sincere. The rest of breakfast passes in small talk, mostly carried by Wallace and Mac, with Logan joining in with witty observations from time to time. Parker and Piz stay mostly silent, moodily staring down at their food. 

Veronica is puzzled by their behavior. She doesn’t know either of them very well, but can’t imagine why they are so affected by her and Logan’s relationship. It’s not like they haven’t been together since the two newcomers showed up on the scene. Deciding it’s not worth worrying about, she focuses on her boyfriend. Logan is so happy, his eyes bright and smile real, not forced, animated while talking, and it makes her smile. _We can do this, together._

Logan glances at his watch, sighing dramatically. “I need to get a move on if I’m going to make it to my econ class.” He scoots closer to her for a kiss which she gladly gives him, the rest of the world fading to just the two of them. They reluctantly break apart when Wallace coughs. Logan sighs happily, tucking an errant hair behind her ear. She whispers, ‘I love you.’ and his smile grows larger. He grabs his bag, his feet already dragging at the thought of leaving her. 

“Did you finish your presentation, Logan?” Mac asks, worried that it may have fallen to the wayside in all their making up. He glances at her, the smile still on his face.

“Yep. I used all the tricks you taught me. I can pull my grade up. Thanks again for your help.” He pauses, glancing down at his beautiful girlfriend. “All of your help.”

Mac nods, accepting his thanks gracefully, and Logan leaves. Parker and Wallace get up to leave as well, Parker’s eyes throwing daggers in Veronica’s direction. Only Mac, Piz, and Veronica remain at the table. Mac is preparing to make her departure too, but something about the look on Piz’s face gives her pause. She knows her friend can handle herself, but Piz is giving her the creeps. 

Ignoring Mac, Piz shakes his head, seeming to come to a decision. “So you and Logan.” His voice has a bite.

Veronica looks up sharply from the textbook she had been studying. “Yeah. Me and Logan.” She lets out a blissful sigh, a smile playing at her lips. 

“I can’t believe you just went back to him. The guy’s a player. Every time I see him on campus, he’s got a harem following him around.” Piz scowls, turning his boyish looks into something sinister, his voice now dripping with condemnation. 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Veronica’s voice is tight and the smile leaves her face. Mac leans back, knowing her friend, to enjoy the show. 

“Come on Veronica, don’t be stupid. You deserve better than some spoiled idiot rich boy. I thought you had more depth than that.”

Veronica picks up her books, shoving them into her bag while glaring at PIz. “Again, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Logan, whom I’ve known since I was twelve, is one of the kindest, most caring people I know. I love him.” She stands up turning to Mac to say goodbye. 

Piz jumps up out of his seat, and grabs her arm. “Veronica, I’m your friend.” His voice is turning desperate. “I’m just trying to look out for you. He’s bad news. He’s not good enough for you.”

“And who is exactly? You?” Veronica gives a derisive snort. “My relationship with Logan is _none_ of your damn business. Now take your hand off of me.”

Mac watches the interchange with silent glee. It’s about time Veronica put this guy in his place, standing up for her relationship with Logan. He’s been hanging around trying to sabotage them for months. It’s then she notices Logan in the doorway. His face is red, fists curled at his side while he watches Piz manhandle his girlfriend. 

Before Logan can move, Veronica looks up at him, her gaze catching his. She gives a small shake of her head letting him know she’s got this. He nods, though it’s clear he’s itching to hurt Piz. Veronica returns her attention to Piz. 

“Let’s get one thing straight, Piss. We are not friends, we are not anything. I put up with you and your hangdog ways because of my best friend. If you can’t respect me or my relationship with Logan then I don’t even need to do that.”

Piz cuts her off, sputtering. “He’s turned you into a bitch.”

Veronica slams her knee up into his balls. Piz drops his hold on her arms, his hands curling around his groin as he slumps to the ground. Veronica grabs her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. As she steps over him, she bares her teeth and hisses at him. “I am a bitch, but not because of him. You’d do best to remember that.”

Logan waits for her to join him, throwing an arm around her when she reaches him. He presses a kiss to her temple looking her over to assure himself she’s okay. “All done, Bobcat?”

“Yep. I think he got the message.” She smiles up at him. “Aren’t you supposed to be in class?” 

“Yeah, but I forgot my phone.” He glances back at the table where Mac is still sitting watching Piz writhe on the ground with a smug smile on her face. He catches her eye and she winks at him. 

Veronica digs in her bag, pulling out the missing phone. “I was going to return it to you after class.”

“Oh well. I’m not late yet and it would be worth it anyways to see you go badass on that fucker.” He leans down to whisper in her ear. “If I didn’t have to turn this project in, I’d be taking you back to the suite to show you how much I appreciate your defending me.”

Veronica shivers. “Turn in your paper. You can show me after class.” She pulls away from him, sauntering ahead with an extra little swing to her hips. She tosses her hair over her shoulder looking back at him, enjoying the way his eyes have taken on that darker cast they do when he’s overcome with lust for her. She stops, holding out her hand for him. “Several times.”

He takes her hand, laughing. “I look forward to it.”

Mac watches them go feeling like a fairy godmother who helped the princess get her prince. She grabs her own bag, heading towards class. She pauses by Piz who is still on the floor.

“I think it goes without saying that you’re not welcome in this group anymore. Veronica went easy on you, but she’s a marshmallow. Stay away from them or I’ll make what she did look like a papercut.” She smiles evilly at him.

She whistles as she walks away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If not for HisBeautifulGirl, this fic would still be sitting on my computer. You are a wonderful friend. Thank you.

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to HisBeautifulGirl for all of her help in beta'ing this fic.


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